Seeking Redemption
by wolfofstark
Summary: Now that his father, the King, only has a year left to live, it's time for Prince Killian's Selection. Will this 'party prince' succeed in finding his queen and redeeming himself in the eye of the public? Can he prove to his people that he will be a good king? SYOC CLOSED.
1. The Introduction

I was leaning against the wall, in the far back corner of the room. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My father, _the King,_ laying in his bed while coughing up blood as the palace doctor tended to him. Apparently, this had been going on for a while, but our parents kept it a secret for us. _The king was dying._ I shook my head slightly at this thought. The king was dying and there was nothing we could do. The only thing the doctor could do was slow the process. My father was given medication so he could continue on with his daily duties. He was given a year. A year. My father would die in a year.

I looked at my mother, my carefree mother. I only just noticed the deep lines that had formed in her face. My sister was beside her, crying her eyes out while holding onto my father's hand. We had just been told the news. I clenched my fists, not knowing how to deal with these emotions. I loved my father. He was my role model, and I couldn't stand seeing him this weak. I turned around and left the room as fast as I could, running away from the dying king.

My mother came to my room a few hours later. I was laying on my bed, hands wrapped around the back of my head and staring at the ceiling. I immediately sat up as she came in. ''Mom, I'm so sorry I left, I just couldn't stay there any longer. Not while he was like that..'' I started, guilt creeping in. My mother smiled her loving smile and sat on the edge of my bed, her blue eyes warm.

''I understand, my sweet. You don't have to apologize. Your father understands too. But that isn't what I came here to speak to you about.''

I looked at my mother in confusion. She took my hand and gave it a tight squeeze. ''We want you to start your Selection now. In fact, we have been busy with preparations for the last few weeks.'' I frowned at this announcement. Why were they suddenly so eager to start the Selection? My mother saw my confusion and answered the question for me. ''Your father wants to be involved in you choosing your wife. This girl will be the new ruling queen after his death, after all. And he wants to see his first born son get married while he still can. You're his pride, Killian, and he knows you will be a good king. He just needs to be sure that you will have a good queen by your side.''

I nodded at this. Suddenly, I felt like an idiot for not understanding this sooner. Of course I would want my father to be there for my wedding, and of course I would want him to approve of my future wife and queen. But my mother wasn't done talking yet.

''Since your father only has a year left, we will only be selecting fifteen girls. This will speed up the process, and you will have more time getting to know each and every one of them well. You will announce this at The Report tonight. The forms have already been sent out the door. We gave the girls a week to apply, so they'll be at the palace in two weeks. I know this is all going very fast, but I trust that you will be able to handle this all like the prince I know you are.'' She ended her talk with a reassuring smile.

She knew how I felt about those tabloids, about the title I was given. _Party prince_. I knew I could get wild when we had a ball or a party, and I knew I wasn't shy in front of the ladies, but that was just a part of me. An immature part of me. I was ready to grow up and be the son my father could be really proud of. I was ready to be the future king and look for my future queen.

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 **Okay, this is my first time having a go at writing fanfiction, and since I recently finished The Selection series and loved it, it will be a SYOC fanfiction. All the chapters will be in first person. English isn't my first language so please bear with me and don't be afraid to correct me/give constructive criticism. PM me any time with ideas you have! Or if you just want to talk, haha.**

 **So this Selection takes place generations after Maxon's Selection, and the caste system has been reinstated. This is the Royal Family now:**

 **Edward Schreave, age 43: The ruling monarch. He's just like every other royal, distant and seemingly perfect on camera and to his subjects. He tries his best to teach his children about morals and being a good person, and he always tries to give good advice to Killian, his heir. Unfortunately his job makes it difficult for him to spend a lot of time with his children, something he regrets, especially now that he is dying.**

 **Catherine Schreave, age 40: The elegant queen. She's the prime example of what a queen should be. Elegant, soft spoken and kind. She keeps herself occupied with charity, something very dear to her heart. She loves her children dearly, although she can't help herself but have a favorite, her crown prince.**

 **Killian Schreave, age 19: The crown prince. He has grown up with a lot of pressure on his shoulder, having to walk in the footsteps of his father who is a great king. Killian takes his lessons and duties as crown prince seriously because he knows the importance of his role. This can sometimes rise to his head, making him seem arrogant. He's known in the tabloids as the good looking playboy prince, as he always gets a bit wild when a party is thrown at the palace and there are pretty girl around him. He has no problem with the selection and the fact that he will get to surround himself with girls. But he also wishes to shed the image of the ''party prince'' and to be taken more seriously. He sees the Selection as the perfect opportunity to show the country that he will be a good, serious and hardworking king.**

 **Yasmin Schreave, age 17: The beautiful princess. Yasmin loves the perks of being a princess. She loves the dresses, the balls, the beautiful jewels, and she loves that she doesn't have the responsibility her older brother has. She has all the positives of being a royal without the negatives. She's your typical girly girl, with a surprising artistic side. She has her own art studio in the palace and her work has been featured all over the world. She likes to lock herself in her studio and paint when the stress of the palace becomes too much for her. She loves and supports her brother and she will test all the Selected to see who is really a good match for her brother. She will advice him on the girls and maybe even decide who to eliminate with him.**

 **Please, please be original with your characters. This isn't first come first serve, I have the right to decline your character. The more detailed you are, the higher chance you have of me choosing your girl. You can send in more than one girl, the maximum is two characters per person to send in. Oh and of course, no Mary Sues or copies of existing characters in the books. Make her flawed, don't give her any crazy eye color/hair color, and most importantly make her interesting. I will be creating a polyvore account when I have all my girls so I can post their outfits on there. I will be accepting characters via PM, no guests because I might have to ask you questions about her. When you send a PM, put the first and last name of your girl in the subject line. And the more you review, the higher chance your girl has of making it far!**

 **Here's the form, I will also be posting it on my profile:**

 **Seeking Redemption SYOC**

 **Full name:**

 **Nickname (optional):**

 **Age:**

 **Caste:**

 **Province (not really relevant since there will be 15 Selected, so if yours is taken I'll move you to another one):**

 **Occupation:**

 **Body (height, weight, body shape):**

 **Eyes (color, shape):**

 **Hair (color, type, length):**

 **Skin tone:**

 **Description of her looks:**

 **What did they wear before the Selecton (clothing, hairstyle, shoes, jewelry etc.):**

 **What would they change during the makeover:**

 **What would they wear during the Selection (clothing, hairstyle, shoes, jewelry etc.):**

 **Family (include their name, age, jobs, relationship with the characters):**

 **Background:**

 **Personality:**

 **Likes:**

 **Dislikes/fears:**

 **Strengths:**

 **Weaknesses:**

 **Talents:**

 **Friends (include their name, age, caste, appearances):**

 **Romantic history:**

 **Reason behind entering the Selection:**

 **How would they react if they found out they're Selected:**

 **How would they treat the other Selected:**

 **What would their strategy be during the Selection:**

 **Maids (describe your three maids including names, appearances and personalities):**

 **How would they treat their maids:**

 **What would they like their first date to be:**

 **How would they treat the royal family:**

 **Thoughts on King Edward:**

 **Thoughts on Queen Catherine:**

 **Thoughts on Prince Killian:**

 **Thoughts on Princess Yasmin:**


	2. The Beginning

**Thankyou all for submitting your characters! I have mostly gotten girls from the lower castes, so please also submit some upper caste girls. And I would love some bitchy girls, mean girls, sassy girls etc etc. Most of the girls I have gotten until now are sweet girls but I want some diversity! Makes it more interesting, don't you think? Oh and I forgot to say this in my first chapter, but the Royal Family will hide the King's illness as long as they can, especially the fact that he's dying, because you know, a weak king makes for a weak monarchy. Maybe Killian will share this secret with some of the Selected but the public knowledge is that there is nothing wrong with the King. This will stay that way until his medicine can't keep up the charade anymore.**

 **I also made a polyvore account (account name is the same one as here, wolfofstark) where I will post the outfits of the Selected when I start writing them. For now, I have published the outfits of the Queen and Princess from this chapter, and I published what Prince Killian looks like (isn't he dreamy?). So please check that out (at ''sets'') and let me know what you think!  
Without further ado, please enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

I walked out of the Report with my sister in tow. I had just announced the Selection to the whole country. My charming smile and mischievous light green eyes would be plastered on tv screens in every household. I immediately let my mind wonder to all the girls who were probably very excited to have a chance at living in the palace with their Prince. I mean, who wouldn't be excited to be near me 24/7? Just look at me.

I got snapped back to reality by my sister's annoyed voice. ''Killian! Are you daydreaming about yourself again?''

I flashed her a grin. ''You know me so well.''

Yasmin huffed out a sigh, the chestnut brown curls around her face bouncing around. Yasmin looked absolutely beautiful, as she always did. She was a true princess who could have stepped out of a fairytale book. She was wearing a sleeveless light pink and gold dress with quite a cleavage, but she managed to make it look classy and elegant. On her elaborately braided updo she wore on of her favorite tiaras adorned with pink jewels.

Yasmin loved her tiaras and had a whole collection of them. While my mother hated wearing her heavy crown and only did so on official occasions like the Report, Yasmin wore her tiaras every chance she got. She even sometimes wore it around the palace when we had no visitors, and I bet that with the Selection coming around, her tiaras would always be on her head.

I motioned for Yasmin to follow me and walked through the long hallway up the main staircase, heading for the Royal wing. I acknowledged the guard stationed by my room as I held the door open for Yasmin. I shut the door behind us when she was inside, and I immediately sunk down on my comfortable leather lounge chair. Yasmin and I were extremely close, and she didn't even have to ask me what was going on for her to know what was bothering me. She walked over to my mirror and straightened her tiara, while her aquamarine blue eyes looked at me through the mirror.

Yasmin and I both looked like a perfect mix between our parents. We had my father's chestnut brown hair and his long legs, while my mother was a short blonde with light coloring. Yasmin had her blue eyes, and I had my father's green eyes. We both inherited her light skin.

''You will make a good king, you know that, right?'' Yasmin started. She turned around to face me, her dress dancing around her legs.

I didn't answer as I crossed my arms and stared out my window. ''Father is a very beloved king. How can I ever be as good as him?''

Yasmin crossed the room and sunk to her knees on the ground besides my chair. She took my hand and held it firmly. ''Listen to me, Ian,'' she was the only one who could call me that, ''while it is true that father is exceptional at his job, you will be too. You are kind, compassionate, intelligent and charming. What other qualities can a king wish for? Just because you have weaknesses doesn't mean you will fail. You have been trained your whole life to do this. You have had a good example in father. You will make him proud. You will make us all proud.'' I smiled at her words. While she could be a bit shallow sometimes, Yasmin always knew the right words to say. She was my precious little sister and I greatly appreciated her.

She let go of my hand and stood up. ''Now suck it up, big boy. You will be the king in a year and you can't doubt yourself. And while you don't seem worried about those 15 girls coming to the palace in two weeks, I will help you with them. I will infiltrate them and learn every little thing there is to know, and I will help you decide who is fit for you and who is not.'' She had an exciting smile on her face when talking about the Selection, and I knew that she not only saw it as a fun game for her to participate in, she also saw it as an opportunity to make friends and hopefully gain a sister.

''Why should I worry about the Selection? You know me. The ladies love me. I know the way to a ladies' heart.''

Yasmin rolled her eyes. ''Just wait until the palace is swarmed with girls trying to win your heart, or just the crown. It won't be easy, trust me.''

I ignored her attempts at making me nervous for the Selection and called my butler over. My mouth had been dry since the Report ended and I needed a refreshment. I contemplated having the butler bringing me a strong drink, but I wanted to stay away from alcohol. Sometime last year I went a little too overboard with the partying and was on the brink of alcohol poisoning. My parents and advisors did a good job at hiding this from the press, and my father threatened to send me to rehab if I didn't get my act together. Alcohol was my weakness, and I couldn't let it drag me back into that dark hole again. I asked the butler for some water and sent him away.

I was proud of myself for this little accomplishment, as staying on the right path was a lot easier when my parents weren't around to watch my every move.

The preparations for the Selection had been in full swing, and for the next few days all I did was sample food, pick out fabrics for the rooms for the Selected, and more tedious tasks. Luckily I had my mother helping me. I could sense that it was a welcome distraction for her, even my father came in to help when he was on a break from his kingly duties.

My father was spending a lot more time with Yasmin and I since we found out about his illness, and while it was a bit too late, I was glad for it. I knew my father would have wanted nothing more than to be more present in our lives growing up and I never resented him for being absent most of the time.

I caught myself letting my eyes linger on my father more than a few times, and thankfully he didn't notice. I wanted to remember him like this. Still the strong and proud man I knew. Not yet defeated by his illness. I knew it was the medicine, and I knew he wouldn't stay like this for long, but I needed this picture imprinted on my mind. Because when the time would eventually come and he was no longer with us, I would never want to forget the man he used to be.

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 **Thanks for all the sweet reviews on my previous chapter! I'm glad you guys liked it. Please keep reviewing and following.**

 **So my exams are starting next week so I don't know when I'll update again. I'll try to update next week but I really want to start introducing the girls and I want to wait until I have all 15 girls. So maybe next chapter will be another prologue. We'll see! I do promise the next chapters will be longer. I'm just so busy with studying.**


	3. Rania, Monroe, Arizona and Viollca

**I finally have my 15 girls! I'll begin introducing them starting this chapter. I'll introduce 4 girls each chapter so the introductions will take around 3 or 4 chapters. I don't want to dwell too long on the introductions since that will probably be kind of boring for you all, and I want to get the Selection going. So, meet my first 4 girls! I will add their caste to the POV title but that will just be for their first POVs, after that only their names**

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 **Lady Rania, 4**

I put down the last cup of coffee for the day, finally done with my shift. I quickly took off my apron and tossed it on one of the hangers. I was a business student at University but also worked at my parent's coffee shop part time. I didn't mind doing it at all, but I had had a pretty rough day and I needed to escape. I kissed my father goodbye. ''I'm going to the Svorski's to study for a bit, I'll be home by six.''

I grabbed my favorite lilac shoulder purse from the counter and swung it over my shoulder. I stepped out of the shop and tightened my coat around me, trying to hide myself. I walked through the busy streets with my head buried in the big collar of my coat, my dark brown hair falling over my face and hiding most of it. Today had been one of those days. One of those days that I got bullied and didn't stand up for myself. I was a very insecure and shy girl because of my self esteem issues. Every time I looked into the mirror, all I saw was ugliness. No matter how many times my sweet parents tried to convince me that I was beautiful, it didn't work. Every time I felt a little bit better about myself, those horrible bullies would crush that confidence in a matter of seconds. They would crush it into dust and it would fly away with the wind, disappearing again.

I stepped inside my second home, my neighbor's bookshop. Mrs. Svorski, one of the owners and a very kind woman, immediately came rushing to me. Mr. and Mrs. Svorski had always been very caring towards me, and since the elderly Ukrainian couple didn't have any children of their own, they treated me as their daughter. Mrs. Svorski enveloped me in a big, warm hug. I returned the gesture and smiled at her.

''Come in, sweetheart! We have some new books that arrived today, or are you just here to study?'' She asked me as she let go.

''I'm just here to study, I have a lot of work to do.''

''You're such a smart young lady. Do you want me to make you some tea?''

I nodded and she led me to the corner, to a spot where a small table and soft lounge chair was set up. Even though others could come here to study too, this was basically my spot and Mrs. Svorski always made sure that it was free whenever I needed it. I sat down and installed myself while Mrs. Svorski made me some tea. I put my heavy books on the table and saw to my surprise that a crisp white envelope was also in my purse. Mother probably put my mail in there for me to read later. I opened up the envelope and quickly scanned the content.

 _The Selection._ I had seen Prince Killian announce this on The Report, but I completely forgot about it. I couldn't think of a reason not to sign up. Mother's kidney disease was getting worse and while we were on the richer end of 4s, all our money was going to her treatments. There weren't enough donors for her to get a transplant. Maybe by getting Selected, I could raise awareness for diseases that require transplants, and use the money for mother's illness. Another reason for me to sign up was to see my brother. My brother, Rehan, was a palace guard. He was twenty years old and had been at the palace for a year now. And maybe, just maybe, the Selection could give me some confidence. Maybe I could finally feel beautiful.. I quickly grabbed a pen and started filling out the form. Mrs. Svorski came over with my tea and winked playfully at me when she saw the form.

''Good choice, the Prince is very handsome.''

I laughed at this and tanked her for the tea. While I continued filling out the form, I couldn't help but let my mind wander to the Prince. I agreed, the Prince was very cute. Spending some time around him wouldn't be bad at all.

 **Lady Monroe, 7**

I kicked off my dirty working boots when I stepped inside my home, dirtying the floor with them. My youngest brother, Peter, immediately came running towards me. Peter was my little buddy, my partner in crime if you will. I scooped him up into my arms and gave him a big hug, laughing at his enthusiasm. ''You're acting as if you haven't seen me in years.''

''I'm just happy you're finally home. Let's go on an adventure!'' He practically yelled enthusiastically.

I ruffled his hair and put him down on the floor. ''Don't let mom hear that.''

My mother was very different from me. She was a tough, stern and strict woman who was very hard on her children, but especially on me. While she was perfectly fine with staying a mechanic for the rest of her life, I wasn't. I didn't want to be a carpenter. I longed for a different life. A life of fun and adventure. I wanted to see the world, meet different people, make lifelong memories. But instead I was stuck here, in the same routine every day.

I grabbed Peter by the hand and walked into the kitchen. My mother was already starting up dinner. All of my siblings were sitting around the table, waiting for food to be served. I had a rather big family. There was Peter, the youngest boy at six years old. Then there was Fiona, my youngest sister who was two years old. She was strapped to my mother's chest and was making a lot of noise, as always. I didn't even consider taking her over from my mother as I have a slight fear of babies and becoming a mother one day.

I sat down next to Cleo and put Peter on my lap, as we didn't have much room around the table. Cleo was nine years old and a junior woodworker. She was adopted from another family of eights who simply gave Cleo away, never wanting her. She had her nose buried in a book, as she was mostly found doing.

Clara and Smith, my youngest twin sisters, thirteen and fourteen years old, were huddled in a corner of the table, not really paying attention to any of them. Clara and Smith were unique, as they were born on December 31st and January 1st, respectively, making them a year apart, and Clara the older twin. I didn't really get along with them. Smith was rather reserved and bratty, not really willing to talk to others and liking her own company the best, and Clara was obsessed with public image and wished to be famous one day and openly complained of their less than ideal lifestyle, blaming their parents for it. Sitting beside them was quiet little Gia. Gia was a sort of architect at sixteen years old. Although she was still very young, she was very talented and skilled at sketching buildings and making blueprints. Gia and I were incredibly close and even slept next to each other on the floor whenever we could.

In came my oldest brother, Greg. Greg was nineteen years old and like Cleo, he was also adopted from a family of eights. He was a very hard worker which made my mother act much more favorable towards him than towards me. This made Greg feel guilty, but I never blamed him. In fact, we were often on very good terms.

I stood up when my father followed behind and hugged him tightly. My father was my best friend. We loved joking around with each other and playing pranks. We were very much alike.

''You had a letter in the mail today, Roe. Secret admirer?'' He passed me a crisp white envelope with a teasing grin.

''Oh yes, they keep bothering me! I know I'm irresistible but this is becoming too much.'' I jokingly replied. I quickly ripped the envelope open and pulled out a letter and a form.

It was for The Selection. We didn't have a television at home but I knew what it was. A huge, excited grin started forming on my face. This was my chance. My chance for a real adventure. My chance to make new friends, eat delicious palace food and have fun.

My father looked at me curiously. ''Well, what is it? Don't leave us hanging!''

I quickly showed him the letter with the Royal stamp on it. To my surprise, he didn't seem happy.

'Are you going to sign up?''

''D'oh!'' I exclaimed. I didn't understand why my father wasn't as excited for this as I was, but I didn't care. ''As a matter of fact, I'm going to fill the form in right now.''

I ran out of the kitchen, frantically looking for a pen. I didn't even notice that Greg had followed me.

''You know he doesn't want to let you go, right?''

I stood up straight and looked Greg in the eye. My father and I were very close, yes, but he wouldn't want me to miss such an opportunity, right?

It was as if Greg could hear my thoughts. ''He would never forbid you to go, but he won't like it.''

''Well, when I become the Princess and stuff him full of delicious food he won't be complaining anymore.'' I found a pen and pumped my fist in the air, as if finding a pen meant I was already selected. I tried not to think about leaving my father as I started filling out the form. Sure, leaving my father and (some) siblings behind would be hard, but I had to think about what I was gaining. I would finally be able to leave this dreadfully boring life behind, and embark on a new journey.

 **Lady Arizona, 8**

I was slowly losing my mind. Very optimistic most of the time, now I couldn't get this thought out of my head as I was making my way through our small trailer in my wheelchair. Being in a wheelchair while living in a trailer was less than practical. I was sure that if I was a 3 or higher, I wouldn't have any problems with getting around. Unfortunately, I was merely an 8. Born to a mother who didn't want me. Left in an old dumpster and found by the man who raised me, Martin Dells. Martin was homeless and unemployed, but nonetheless, he took me in. He raised me more as a friend than as a daughter, and I loved and appreciated him for that. When I lost my legs, he helped me in every way he could. When I turned thirteen, Martin began gambling to get money, meaning he was gone a lot. I was forced to become very independent at a young age.

I rummaged through our cabinets, looking for something to eat. As always, the only thing we had were some canned beans. I took out a can with a heavy sigh and prepared to open it when I heard a knock on the door. I moved my wheelchair to the door and took it off the locks. I always had the door locked. Living in such a rough place made me paranoid and I took every measure I could to prevent people from breaking in.

The door swung open and Alec' smiling face greeted me. He was carrying a bag of groceries which made me cross my arms in annoyance.

''Alec, you know I don't need you to do my groceries.''

''I know, I know, but I already bought them so we can't let it go to waste, right?''

I moved to the side to let him in. He deposited the groceries on our counter and started putting them away in our cabinets. I put my hand on his arm.

''I can do that, Alec. You don't have to do everything for me.''

If there was one thing I had a hard time with, it was this. I had trouble with letting anyone help me. Even though I knew Alec meant well, I still couldn't allow it.

He knew how I felt about his eagerness to help, so he stepped aside and let me take care of the groceries. He set a white envelop on the counter. ''I almost forgot, this is for you.''

I opened the envelope and gasped when I saw what it was for. ''The Selection? But I'm just an eight.''

He shrugged his shoulders. ''My sister didn't want to sign up so I took the form. Why let it go to waste?'' Alec and his family were threes.

I smiled brightly at Alec. ''This couldn't have come at a better time. Do you have a pen?''

Ofcourse he did. He took a pen out of his pocket and helped me fill in the form. This was it. This was my ticket out of here. I could finally get out of this trailer. I wasn't extremely excited, but at least it was better than my current living conditions.

 **Lady Viollca, 5**

My curtains were pulled close, barely letting any light through. I was sitting at my desk, hunched over, working on my next comic book. Little pots of inks, small brushes and empty cups of coffee were scattered all over my messy desk. A desk lamp brightened my work space, making everything clear for me to see. I was almost done with my next issue, just a few more lines.

''VIOLLCA! DINNER IS READY!''

I got startled by the sudden noise and knocked over a pot of ink. The ink quickly spread all over my papers, ruining it. A lot of not so nice curse words flew out of my mouth as I did my best to salvage what I could, but to no avail. I was almost done and now the last few chapters were completely ruined. I sighed in defeat as I thought about the countless hours I spent on this issue, and now I had to do it again.

My face was like thunder as I walked downstairs and into the kitchen. My hands were covered in ink and I looked like I hadn't slept in days.

''Look who finally came out of her cave.'' My mother said with disdain in her voice. Mother was a very talented singer and violist, but besides that, she was also very strict, especially towards me. I couldn't exactly blame her because I knew she became like this after the death of my three year old brother, Simmy. He would have been eight now, but he died of typhoid. Ever since his death, things had been tense at the house. My father and I never used to fight but that now that was just part of our day.

''Thanks to your yelling, I now have to spend even more time in that cave. You ruined my latest issue.'' I said as I sat down next to my younger sister, Mirela. Mirela was thirteen years old and thankfully, here and I were still very close.

''Your letter for the Selection came. Your signing up.'' My mother placed the Selection form in my lap, and her tone said that she wouldn't accept a no. ''If you don't get out in public, I will seriously kick you out. I'm done with the whole hiding in your room all day and not speaking to anyone, except those circus act twins.''

She was talking about my two best friends, Linnae and Linda Tamson, who were in a circus.

To mother's surprise, I didn't even protest. We could use the money we would get from me being in the Selection and of course I would not want her to kick me out. But I had a third reason to sign up. I wanted to fall in love. I wanted to fall in love so I could better portray it in my stories. I had some trouble with romantic scenes, and this would be the perfect opportunity to get more experience.

''Fine. I'll sign up after dinner.'' I said as I started stuffing food in my mouth, having lived of off coffee the entire day.

''You would make a great princess, Vi.'' Mirela said sweetly.

I grinned at her. ''I would be a very awkward princess and you know that, but thanks.''

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 **Those were my first four girls! I hoped you liked them, and the way I portrayed them. The introduction chapters will mostly be background information and their reasons for signing up for The Selection. After that, you will get to know them better along with Killian.**

 **Which one of these four girls did you like best: Rania, Monroe, Arizona or Viollca?**

 **Thanks for reading and keep reviewing!**

 **~ wolfofstark**


	4. Olympia, Alondra, Aenwyn and Aurelia

**Lady Olympia, 3**

I was lying in my hammock, completely immersed in my book. The hammock was tied in between two oak trees in our vast garden and it was one of my favorite places to be. I loved being surrounded by nature. It gave me a sense of peace, of tranquility. I used to take long walks through the forest with my grandma, and being close to nature always made me feel like a part of her was still with me. I didn't speak for two months after her death, as she was the one who raised me along with grandpa. I avoided the forest for that period of time too, but I quickly realized that it was a good coping mechanism. When grandpa and I moved to live with my actual parents, I was thrilled to find out that their garden could satisfy my need for nature.

I put down my book when my phone started buzzing. I looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Natalia, my best friend from back home. I closed my book and picked up.

''Hi Nat!'' I exclaimed in excitement. We had spoken to each other a few hours ago, but I was still thrilled to hear her voice.

''Olive!'' She always called me by my nickname. ''Did you get the letter?''

I immediately knew what she was talking about. The white envelope was put in between the pages of my book as a book mark. I took it out and examined it carefully, as if it was the first time I actually noticed it. ''I did. Are you entering?''

''Of course I am! I mean, have you seen Prince Killian? Talk about eye candy. There's absolutely no reason to not enter. You would live in the palace, meet Royals, have great food and dance at balls. It's like a fairytale.''

I blushed at the mention of the Prince. I had always had a tiny crush on him, and Nat knew.

''Well, you make some very good points. Seeing the Prince in real life doesn't sound bad at all.. If you enter, I will too.''

Nat immediately squealed in excitement. ''Imagine the possibility that we'll be Selected together!''

I couldn't help but squeal at that too. We were hopeless, and the thought of being at the Palace with Nat immediately brightened my day.

''That would be great! I'm going to fill the form in right now. Are we still on for video chatting tonight?''

''D'oh. See you tonight!'' And with that, Nat hung up.

I hopped out of my hammock and ran inside with the envelope and my book tucked underneath my arm. Grandpa Bill was sitting in his rocking chair, and he looked up in surprise when he saw me barging in. One of the things I loved about grandpa was that his smile always reached his sparkling blue eyes.

''You look excited, kiddo.''

I gave grandpa a kiss on the cheek. ''I'm going to enter the Selection.''

That was the moment my mother came in. I had only met her and my father two years ago, as she gave me away to my grandparents when I was born. She was only seventeen. My father and her ended up getting married, and a year after I moved here, they had a twin boy and girl; Emily and Owen. My siblings. As I didn't really know my parents, I couldn't call them ''mom'' or ''dad''. It was too weird. I loved them, of course, but those terms were far too familiar for people who were basically strangers to me.

My mother smiled at me and nodded at the envelope. She was carrying Emily.

''You're entering?''

I nodded and sat down at the table, grabbing a pen and filling out my form. I didn't even wait for her to give me permission.

''That's great, honey.'' She said. I knew she didn't really know what else to say.

Emily stretched out her arms towards me, implying that she wanted me to hold her. I quickly finished the form and put it back in the envelope. I scooped her up in my arms and showered her chubby little face with kisses.

''Hello my little Emmi.'' She giggled and laughed her cute baby laugh as she surrendered herself to my kiss-attack. Grandpa was looking at us with a content smile on his face. I would definitely miss her and grandpa a lot if I got Selected and had to go to the palace. Owen too, but he was pretty hesitant around me. I pulled her closer to me, if that was even possible, and I couldn't help but let my mind wander to the Prince. What would he be like in real life?

 **Lady Alondra, 2**

I took a bow as I finished my last song. I basked in the sound of the cheering of the crowd. They loved me. How could they not love me? I was Alondra Starr Diablos, famous singer. Becoming a star was faith for me, it was in my freakin' name. I had the looks, the talents, the right family name. It was meant to be. I smirked to myself as I blew some kisses to the crowd. The curtains closed and I was finally done with this tour.

I grabbed my microphone and tore it off, throwing it at the floor.

''Somebody get me some water!'' I yelled.

My assistants came running towards me. One with a towel he used to wipe away the sweat, one with a bottle of water and the other just to fuss over me and give me compliments. I always had an assistant for that, just to give me compliments and remind me of how great I was. Not that I didn't know, but it was nice to hear from others.

I dismissed them with a wave of my hand and walked off stage with the bottle in hand. I took off backstage and headed towards my dressing room. I glanced at my phone. Dad was probably sleeping, giving the time difference. He was in New Asia, shooting a new film. Life of a famous actor didn't give him much time with me. Mom was at the news station and she didn't have time to come to my concert and leave for home with me either. She was not only a famous reporter, but also a world renowned model. I had my beautiful looks and long legs from her.

I saw that my phone was swamped with messages from my friends. I read them all but replied to none. That was until I reached the messages from Jessilyn and Calamity. My real friends. They were both like me, and I appreciated their friendship greatly. I replied to their messages and put my phone down next to the white envelope that was on my dressing table. It was the Selection form, already filled out and sealed. Why wouldn't I enter the Selection? I was already very famous, but entering the Selection would give me even more fame. And fame was one of the things I loved most in this world. I was quite confident that I would win. I could easily win the Prince over with my looks and talent.

I yelled for an assistant again, and handed her the envelope to mail back to the palace.

''Don't screw it up.'' I said with a warning in my tone.

I had only one more thing to do before I could head home. I grabbed my phone again and started looking through my contacts list. There he was. Matt Caram. My boyfriend. Having a boyfriend while in the Selection wasn't exactly allowed, so I had to break it off. Not that I really cared. He was good looking and fun to be around, and we were together pretty long, but the Selection meant more to me. I sent him a quick breakup text and I smiled, pleased with myself. I was done for today.

 **Lady Aenwyn, 6  
  
** _Water. So much water. It was pulling me down, holding me in it's grasp. I tried to get away, but the water was much stronger than I was. My lungs were filling up and I could feel myself slowly slipping away, darkness surrounding me…_

I woke up with a loud gasp, my body drenched in sweat. Another nightmare. I sighed and pressed my face against the pillow. It had been so many years, and the memories of that dreadful day were still haunting me. If it wasn't this particular event, the other one that had given me scars on my ankles would also pop up in my nightmares. I rarely slept without having a nightmare. It was exhausting.

I could see the sunlight creeping in through the cracks in between the curtains, and I decided that trying to get back to sleep had no use. I sat up and stretched a bit. My body was always sore from the crappy mattresses in the orphanage. I could sense that the rest of the girls in my dorm started to wake up, so I quickly got out of bed and darted out of the door.

After freshening up a bit, I went downstairs to the dining hall. To my relief, not a lot of people were up yet, so I could eat my breakfast in some peace and quiet.

I had just swallowed my last bit of scrambled eggs when the rest of the orphans entered the dining hall. One of the girls snickered.

''Looks like the witch is already awake. She probably woke up early to perform her satanic rituals. Watch out, guys, she probably cursed the food!''

Everyone laughed at her horrible remarks. Witch. This was my name in this orphanage. Nobody called me by my actual name. To all the kids, I was the witch. In the first few years, I was actually dubbed a demon, but this had transitioned into witch.

I tried to ignore them and held my eyes locked on my plate. I waited until they were standing in line and stood up, trying to get out of the hall unnoticed. But I was never unnoticed. With my unruly, vibrant red hair, I stuck out like a sore thumb. I saw someone jerking their foot forward, and before I even had time to register this, I had already hit the floor. The hall erupted in laughter. This was my daily routine since I was young. I was used to it. I got up from the floor, brushed off my clothes and stalked out of the hall before anyone else could touch me.

I knocked at the office door of the headmistress of our orphanage. She was kind to me, but she did nothing to stop the bullying. I couldn't exactly blame her, as I was the only one who had to suffer and it was much easier for her to turn a blind eye.

''Come in.''

I entered the stuffy and cramped office. The mistress, Mrs Constance, looked up from her paperwork.

''Ah, Aenwyn, you're here. You can start with that stack over there.''

She pointed at a pile of mail and got back to her paperwork. I had to work to earn my keep in the orphanage, and helping Mrs Constance with her administration was one of my jobs.

I dragged a chair to the huge pile and got to work. My eyes fell on a stack of crisp white envelope, and I looked through it curiously. I could barely read, so I never knew what the mail meant, but somehow, I knew these envelopes were important. Mrs. Constance noticed me slowing down, and she put down her pen.

''Those are for the Selection. They are addressed to every eligible girl in this orphanage. You're one of them.''

My eyes widened and I looked at her in shock. I had heard the other girls talking about this Selection. I knew what it was about, but it always felt like a dream. An unrealistic dream. But I actually had the chance to go? To leave this hell hole?

She motioned for me to come over, and I complied. She sorted through the envelopes and pulled one out of the stack.

''This one is yours. Do you want to fill it out together?''

I nodded. Mrs. Constance grabbed a pen and started filling out the form, asking me questions while doing so. She sealed the form in an envelope when we were done.

''I'll make sure this gets posted. Now get back to work.'' She said with a small smile.

I nodded again, not sure how to feel. I got back to work but I couldn't focus. I didn't want to get too excited, because I had a small chance of actually getting Selected, but I couldn't help but feel hope. Hope for a better life. For finally leaving this placed I had to call home, but which was actually hell on earth. I shook my head, willing myself to focus, and thoughts of the Selection slowly drifted to the background.

 **Lady Aurelia, 3  
  
** I toyed with the white envelope in my hand. I knew from the start that I wanted to enter the Selection. I wanted, no, I needed that crown. I needed to be number one. And what better way than to actual be a One?

Some would say that my competitiveness was unhealthy, but I considered it one of my best traits. I always wanted to be on top, which made me work hard and excel. It probably had something to do with my mother.

My mother was Italian, and became pregnant out of wedlock. She was disowned by her parents and her boyfriend, my so-called ''father'', ran off. My brave mother decided to move to Illéa and start over. We started out as sevens, but luckily when I was four, mom met Andrew Meyer, my stepfather and an extremely well known and wealthy lawyer. It was like a Cinderella story. She was begging for food, they met, fell in love instantly and got married. We moved up to threes and my stepfather spoiled us immensely. I was an outcast at school because of my Italian heritage, and I begged my stepfather to buy me new stuff every single day, just to fit in. He loved me so much that he always gave in. And that's basically the story of how I became how I am now, the queen bee of my school.

I dropped the envelope with my Selection form off at the post office, after taking my picture in which I of course looked stunning, and had our driver drive me home. Our home was basically a mansion, and while I was going to miss it here, I couldn't wait to actually live in the palace.

My parents weren't home yet when I stepped inside our mansion. Mom found a great job as a therapist, it was the perfect job for her. She was the opposite of Andrew. She made me work hard for what I wanted, which I didn't particularly like. She was the reason I took up an interning position at a famous music producer. That, and I loved music too.

I headed straight to the kitchen, I was craving a snack. I laughed to myself when I saw a small stain on the counter, which was still left from the food fight mom and I had yesterday. We loved having fun together and pranking Andrew. One of our fun activities was having food fights. I would definitely miss having those when I was Selected.

I grabbed a banana from the counter and headed towards my room. I took off my heels and checked my hair in the mirror. I nodded in appreciation, my hair still had the volume I applied to it in the morning. Unfortunately, my hair routine was quite extensive, as my natural hair was very flat and straight naturally, and I didn't like that one bit. Big hair always looked more glamorous to me, and more expensive, and that was the look I wanted to achieve.

I grabbed my laptop from my desk and sat on my bed. I chatted with my three closest friends; Julianna, Vanessa and Kelly. They had entered the Selection too and we were all gushing about it. I acted like I hoped one of them would get Selected, but of course, I wanted to be the one Selected. I needed to be Selected. I needed to move to the top of the pack, the peak of the mountain, where there was no way up anymore. I needed to become a One.

* * *

 **So those were the second batch of girls! I'm so so so sorry it took so long for me to update. Exams took two weeks, and I really couldn't write after that was done. My brain was tired. And then I had an essay I had to submit yesterday, so I could finally write again today.**

 **I hoped you liked the introductions! Sorry some of them are shorters than the others. I will try my best to post the rest of the introduction chapters this week, so we can finally start the real Selection! There are 2/3 introduction chapters left. Also, please PM me if you don't agree with something your girl does, or if you have any suggestions for her. I love to hear your input.**

 **Let me know again which girl you liked the best out of these four: Olympia, Alondra, Aenwyn or Aurelia.**

 **And I have one last question. I saw some of the other authors on here do the same, and I thought it was a fun idea, so I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Most of the authors did it with their birthdays coming up, but mine isn't until May. But I'm still going to do it. My question to you guys is: How old do you think I am? The first person who guesses correctly will win the first date for their character! Can't wait to see what you guys think.**

 **Thanks for reading and keep reviewing!**

 **~ wolfofstark**


	5. Jia, Sawyer, Evelaine and Alicia

**Lady Jia, 2  
  
** I slammed the door behind me. My hands were shaking. I could still hear my father's voice, yelling at the top of his lungs for me to come back and not be so disobedient. I ran over to my radio and put my music on full blast, drowning his voice out. It instantly calmed me down. While dad would never put his hands on me, his words did a lot of harm.

It all started with his death. Jonathan's death. My brother was ten years older, and dad's favorite. He loved Jonathan more than anything and I was often cast aside. I didn't mind. Jon and I had a strong and interdependent relationship and he raised me more than dad did. Jon became a firefighter when he was eighteen, and I was very proud of him. His death changed everything. It happened almost seven years ago but it was still so painful to think about. Dad had always held his death against me. He changed so much after the.. accident.

Mom was a famous actress, and her relationship with me was pretty nonexistent. She was always in another province, filming for her next movie, leaving me and dad alone at home most of the time. I couldn't expect any support from her.

I looked at my closet, the doors were cracked open. I could see glimpses of beige and yellow, which made me smile. My firefighter uniform. After Jon's passing, I became a firefighter when I reached the right age. I wanted to honour him and I loved helping people. It was the perfect occupation for me.

I saw the Selection form on my pillow, and I sighed heavily. Dad had been pressing me about entering since yesterday, and Mom was finding time to bombard me with texts in between shooting her scenes. Mom just wanted to further her fame as an actress, and dad wanted his name to be headlined so that he could be known more politically, as he was a politician.

I plopped down on my bed and picked up the form. To be honest, I didn't really care. I didn't care to join, but I didn't mind joining either. Maybe it would be good for our family if I went away for a while, and it would probably be good for my own sanity to not be the constant target of my father's yelling and loudness.

But one thing I seriously dreaded was the dresses and the girly stuff. You could say that I was not a girly girl at all. My favorite outfit, besides my uniform, was sweats paired with a t-shirt. I absolutely hated jeans, skirts or dresses. It made me feel constricted somehow.

I grabbed a pen from my desk and started filling out the form. Might as well do something my parents would be 'proud' of. My father didn't approve of me becoming a firefighter at all, and my mom didn't really care enough to have any feelings about it. Maybe being Selected, or even entering to be Selected, would make them appreciate me more.

 **Lady Sawyer, 7  
  
** I was so bored. This man was telling me his whole life story while downing drink after drink and, to be honest, it wasn't interesting at all. Working as a bartender at a gentleman's club always made for some interesting conversations with the men I had to tend to. But this wasn't one of them. I had to keep myself from rolling my eyes as he was complaining yet again about something that wasn't even significant. My boss was watching every one of us carefully, and I couldn't drive away a costumer. So I kept pretending to be listening, and to be engaged in the conversation. But I wasn't.

Luckily for me, my best friend Ivy came to my rescue. She was a burlesque dancer at the club, and she came to whisk me away, under the guise of 'taking a break'. My boss nodded his approval and we went to the back of the club.

''Thank you, I needed to get out of there,'' I sighed in relief.

Ivy grinned in amusement. ''I felt so bad for you, that guy looked like a bore. But I have something more fun to talk about.''

I looked at Ivy curiously. Knowing Ivy, this would be entertaining. She climbed on a stool and grabbed two white envelopes from the top of a counter.

''What's that?'' I asked, not recognizing the envelopes.

''These are our Selection forms. We're entering. Right here, right now.''

I shook my head. The thought of entering the Selection hadn't even come to my mind. I wasn't ready to leave my family.

''Come on, I dare you!'' Ivy persisted. And that's where she had me. She knew I could never pass off a dare, it was one of my weak spots.

''I hate you,'' I grumbled as I snatched the envelope from her hands.

Ivy smiled sweetly at me as she handed me a pen. ''You know you love me. And you will thank me for this later.''

We filled out our forms in the break time we had left. The more I thought about the Selection, the more logical it actually seemed for me to apply. Yes, it would be hard to leave my family. But the benefits they would get from the Selection weighed heavier.

Ever since dad passed away 3 years ago, mom had been working extra hard to provide for me, my sister and two brothers. She was a classical singer and dad had been a detective. Being a singer wasn't much of a reliable job compared to a detective, but mom did her best and took up every small gig around town. It always broke my heart to see my mom so tired constantly. This would definitely take the weight of her shoulders, even if it was just for a little.

And besides, the Prince was extremely attractive. I knew Ivy was probably entering for that sole reason. I smiled at the thought. It wouldn't be a bad thing to get to know the Prince more. From what I had seen on Reports, he was always very hard to read.

If Ivy challenging me to a dare wasn't reason enough, I had come up with plenty of other reasons to enter. I sealed the envelope with my form in it, and I nodded to myself in confirmation. I was doing this.

 **Lady Evelaine, 3  
  
** The only sound that filled the empty attic was the sound of pen scraping over paper. I was on fire. I had been writing for the past three hours and the words kept flowing out of me, I couldn't stop. Inspiration filled my mind. I only took my pen of the paper when my hand began cramping and I had to take a break. That was when my brother's head poked through the doorway.

''You've been hiding in here for the whole afternoon, Eve. Come down for a bit,'' Demic said.

Demic was not only my older brother, but he was like a parental figure too. Although he was just six years older than I, he had always been very protective. Our single mother was usually out and about during our childhood, so were mostly raised by my great-grandmother. Mom and granny mostly didn't see eye to eye when it came to our upbringing. Granny encouraged us to read and broaden our intellect, while mom thought that I should have more interest in beauty than just dusty, old books which, according to her, weren't even considered as a source of entertainment. Mom and granny argued a lot and it once got so heated that mom burned my entire collection of novels. That lead to me and Demic building a hideout in our house, up in this attic, so we could avoid mom and gather all the knowledge we could.

Demic always believed that he and granny were better fit to be parents than mom. He was incredibly intelligent. As a child, he always felt the need to instruct mom on what to do and what not to do. He believed mom didn't acknowledge her duties as a parent, which he realized at a very young age. His intelligence inspired me to be like him.

Another one of my role models was granny. I gave her a kiss on the cheek when I came downstairs. I put the sheets of papers I had just filled with words on her lap. I always looked up to granny. She had such a broad range of knowledge and I aspired to be like her as an adult. She never let her deafness stop her. I remembered that when I was young, I always looked forward to impressing granny and bringing home remarkable report cards for favors. Those favors were novels. I knew that it gave granny a lot of joy to see me write, so I always made sure that she was the first one to read my writing.

Demic passed me a white envelope with my name on it in gold, curly letters. I instantly knew what it was as I had been looking out for it all week. The Selection. I tried to surpress a smile as I took the envelope from Demic, not wasting any time in looking for a pen.

''So, you're already set on entering, then? You don't even have to think about it?'' He asked.

''Trust me, I have been thinking about it. I have weighed all the pros and cons and I have decided. Don't worry about me rushing into something.''

I quickly found a pen and started filling out the form. I had a good reason to enter. A good, but painful reason. I wanted to find an actual relationship I could stay committed to without being lied to. A past relationship of mine had given me some trouble with trust. I hoped that the Selection could change this, as I wanted someone who wanted me for me, and not for what I could provide them. I sincerely hoped that this would be the opportunity to finally be able to truly let someone in.

 **Lady Alicia, 4  
  
** I took of my apron, done with another shift at the restaurant. My black with white polka dots waitress uniform was stained with wine a costumer accidently spilled on me. My apron contained most of it, but I still couldn't show up to my next shift with a stained dress. I sighed, not looking forward to being up all night and trying to get the stain out.

I waited outside the restaurant until my mother was done with her own work. She was a chef at a café. I had my arms crossed, a white envelope poking out of my open bag. Mom immediately asked what it was when she walked up to me.

''Oh, it's just the form for the Selection,'' I answered.

''Just the form for the Selection?!'' Mom nearly yelled, which made passersby turn their heads to look at us.

She continued in a much lower voice, ''What do you mean just the form for the Selection? Do you even know what will happen when you get Selected? What will happen if you would win?''

I laughed at that. ''Mom, it's just a silly competition. The likelihood of me getting in and even winning is very small. And besides, maybe it could help me realize my dream.'' I left out the part that me entering was also driven by my fear of poverty and death.

I always enjoyed experimenting with science as a child, and I excelled at my studies. I hoped to find a career in science, but I had had little success in that area. The other way of realizing my dream of science was becoming a three. But again, no success.

Girls that were chosen for the Selection automatically become a three. It didn't matter if you were eliminated on the first day, you were still a three. This was my ticket to fulfilling my dream.

When we arrived home I immediately went upstairs to my room, planning on reading some of the new books I got from the library. None of the books were fiction, they were all about nature, the cosmos, math and more fascinating things like that. I curled up in my chair by the window, and immersed myself in the wonderful world of logic. I had always felt limited by my caste and surroundings. I knew I had so much more in me than being a simple waitress, but I was trapped. I was trapped for something that wasn't even my fault. For being a four.

I looked at the crisp white envelope that was laying on my desk, waiting to be posted tomorrow. I had set all my hope on a few sheets of paper. Compressed fibres and pulps, the materials that sealed my fate. This was the only way. The only way left for me to escape this trap, this world. I smiled, thinking of all the opportunities that would open themselves up for me as a Selected. This was it.

* * *

 **Another chapter, four more girls! Same question as always; which of these four girls did you like best?**

 **So you guys have been guessing my age, and unfortunately, no one has had it right yet! I will give you a hint: I was born in the 90s. Good luck! Oh and I need one specific number, not late this or early that, or between this and that (if you know what I mean).**

 **As always, thanks for reading and keep reviewing! Your reviews are my motivation to keep on writing and reading them makes me very happy.**

 **~wolfofstark**


	6. Maria, April and Rowan

**Lady Maria, 6  
  
** Most people you come across with a stepfamily would say that they didn't get along with them. But that was not the case with me.

I was born into an upper middle class family, we were Twos. That was until my father my father got a bullet in the back of his head by rebels. This happened right before my eyes. I was a young child, but I still remember everything vividly and I still had nightmares about it. Mom and I were downgraded to caste Six. This was a huge blow for my mom as she used to be a successful model, but she was long forgotten about.

She settled for a man two years her junior, Antonio Rockwell. A Hispanic man who was rather average, being a lower class restaurant owner who owned a lounge called 'Shadow Lounge Theatre'. He already had two children from a previous marriage, Germaine and Liliana. Germaine was one year older and Liliana was two years younger than me. I got along very well with my step siblings. As a child, I was mostly alone in the house with Liliana so we developed a powerful, sisterly bond that nobody could come between. Germaine used to be a waiter at the restaurant, along with me, but he decided to quit and become a palace guard. Everyone thought this would be a better choice for him than a waiter, as he didn't quite prove himself in the latter occupation.

I was laying on the couch after a very long shift at the restaurant, still dressed in my uniform and not even bothering to take it off. Liliana was on the other side of the couch with my legs on her lap, and we were watching a very old classic black and white movie, one of my favorites.

''Have you filled in the form for the Selection yet?'' Liliana asked as she threw a handful of popcorn in her mouth.

Antonio had been encouraging me to enter, as the benefits I would get as a Selected would benefit our family greatly. I didn't see why I shouldn't enter. My family deserved only the best, and if I could help in providing that, I would gladly do it.

I shifted a bit, snatching some popcorn from the bowl in Liliana's lap. ''Yeah, I have.''

Liliana started giggling, ''Imagine if you were the Princess. We would have an airhead as the future Queen.''

''Hey!'' I threw popcorn at her head, fake insulted. This resulted in a full blown popcorn fight, only stopping when all the popcorn was littered on the floor instead of in the bowl.

We quickly cleaned up the mess before one of our parents came home, and I smiled to myself, thinking of how much I would miss my best friend if I had to move to the Palace. But that wasn't even certain yet, so we resumed our little movie night together, focusing on the positive.

 **Lady April, 3  
  
** There was so much stress surrounding me. I felt my hands slightly itching and my anxiety coming to surface. My job as a genetic scientist at a high-tech genetics lab was one of the factors of my anxiety. Combine that with a home where anything less than perfect could be considered a crime, and you got yourself a girl with anxiety. My family was extremely successful and intelligent, and thankfully I didn't lack in that department but there was a lot of pressure on me and my siblings. My mother was a highly esteemed surgeon and my father the owner and head of the biggest hospital in Illéa. They expected their children to excel at everything. My sister Tess was a doctor at the same hospital our parents work at and here I was.

I could read and do math from the age of three. In short, I was considered a genius. It may seem like a gift, but this also meant that my parents set the bar even higher for me. I completeled high school at a young age and started working at this lab. You would think I had everything figured out, and was extremely content with my life, but it wasn't that simple.

Just a few days ago, my parents broke the news to me. I had to marry the son of one of their friends or they would kick me out, take away my financial fund and get my science degree demolished. The boy in question was Carter Greene, the son of two high ranking political figures in Illéa. My parents were probably very surprised that I didn't just agree with this ridiculous plan, as I had previously dated other rich, smart guys, carefully handpicked by my parents. But this was different. This was marriage.

So I had hatched a plan. The white envelope that was going to help me with this plan was carefully tucked away in my bag. I was going to enter the Selection. I wasn't going to marry someone I didn't love and the Selection seemed like a good way to go. It felt so good to finally stand up to my parents and do something for myself. Of course, I would be kind of screwed if I didn't get picked, but I would cross that bridge when I got there. For now, I just had to keep my focus on work and stall my parent's plan until the Selected were announced. I couldn't wait to see their faces.

 **Lady Rowan, 2  
  
** The light of the camera was flashing, as the photographer was instructing me on how to pose. It felt great to be in front of the camera, whether it was while acting or modelling. Being in the spotlight was what I did best. I smiled flirtatiously to the camera, working every angle. The smile immediately fell from my face when the photographer signaled that we would have a break, and I quickly walked off the set.

I sat down next to my personal assistant who was filling in a form. It was the Selection form. I instructed her on what to fill in, as I started dreaming away about a life of Royalty. I would be such a great Princess. A fashionable one too. Who wouldn't want a chance at Royalty, with a dreamy prince on her arm? Not entering would just be stupid. I was already thinking about what my strategy would be, because how could I not be Selected?, when the photographer ordered my back on set.

More camera lights flashed at me when I walked out of the studio. I waved and blew kisses at the paparazzi, making sure they got me from my best side, before I stepped into my limousine.

I took out my phone from my bag and pressed on speed dial. It immediately connected me to my dad. When he picked up the phone, I instantly began blabbing of about my day and about how I was going to win the Selection. He laughed at my enthusiasm and didn't even mind that I was calling him while he was still at work. I was your typical daddy's girl. My dad adored me and I adored my dad. I was his pride and joy. I had a much better relationship with him than with my mother, who was always busy with my 14-year-old sister Isobel, and didn't have much time for me. We didn't hate each other, our relationship was just kind of non-existent.

Dad was actually the one who got me into acting. When I was three, dad took me to one of his meetings and I had to pretend to be interested. I grew fond of pretending to be or feel some way I wasn't. In my freshman year of high school, a modeling gig showed up at my front door and I snatched it up with both eager hands. I loved being in the spotlight, and what better occupation was there for a girl like me than being an actress and a model?

And hopefully soon, if everything went according to plan, I could also call myself a princess. **  
**

* * *

**Yay, I'm finally done with all the introductions! Now I can get started with the real story and the Selection. Sorry if this chapter and the introductions were shorter than usual, I just really wanted to get it up and get all the introductions done by the end of the week like I promised you guys. Which girl did you like best?**

 **So, like I told you guys earlier I made a polyvore account. I posted all the faceclaims for all the Selected, as well as the faceclaim for Princess Yasmin. I will be posting most of their outfits on there, and of Yasmin as well, so please check that out so I won't feel like I'm doing it for nothing! And let me know if you saw it and if you agree with the way your girl looks. I couldn't find exact replica's of course so hairstyles etc. may differ, but I tried my best to find good lookalikes. Please PM if you don't agree with the way your girl looks!**  
 **Here's my polyvore: wolfofstark . /?filter=collections (I had to insert space in the link so FF will let it appear, just remove those). There's two collections; The Selected and The Royals. Please check out both. And let me know if you can see everything and like the way polyvore works, or if you perhaps prefer Pinterest? I like polyvore since it's not as messy as Pinterest and you can pick and compose outfits without a model in them.**

 **Lastly, no one has guessed my age yet! Last chance, guys. I think it will be easy now since a lot of ages have already been mentioned.**

 **And now I will conclude this long message. Keep reading and reviewing!**

 **~wolfofstark**


	7. Princess Yasmin

**Princess Yasmin  
  
** I was good at hiding my feelings, but the news of father's illness had hit me like a ton of bricks. It became more and more difficult to keep smiling and pretending that I was still the happy, peppy Princess that everyone adored. The fact that we had to keep it a secret for the outside world made it even more problematic. Only the palace doctor, our family and dad's personal guards and butlers knew of the severity of his illness. The advisors and council knew that their King wasn't feel well, because that was something he just couldn't hide, but they didn't know that he was actually dying. Not yet at least. Dad didn't trust them enough to tell them yet. He was afraid that they might attempt a coup, or devise some kind of plot to take the throne now that the King was weak. Weakness and a King didn't mesh together. So dad had to keep a brave face, a strong façade, until the moment that his appearance would betray the way he was feeling. I admired him immensely for his braveness. I couldn't have kept ruling the country. I would have ran away from the palace, to spend my last days with my family in seclusion. But a King can't afford something like that.

I looked at the blank canvas before me. I had been hiding in the studio more often than usual. Killian had been busy with his Princely duties and the preparations for his Selection, and mom was helping him. No one noticed that I was more absent. They didn't have time to notice. Usually, when I was feeling down like today, I would go to Killian to vent, but I didn't want to bother him with my problems. Not now that his head was almost overflowing with all the different things that were going on. And dad.. The last thing I wanted to do was give dad more to worry about.

I was a real daddy's girl. Always was, always will. The fact that he would leave us, leave me, was slowly tearing my heart into little pieces. The more I tried to hide it, the more the heartache overwhelmed me when I was alone. Every time I felt this way, I put it into my art.

My art had always been influenced by my emotions. It was a way for me to express my feelings. And that was what I had been doing for the past week. I was painting more than usual, and the critics loved every piece. They sensed the tinges of melancholy, anguish and sorrow, but they didn't connect the dots.

I picked up my brush and started with one long, dark stroke. I kept this going for hours, until a knock came at the door. _It was him._ I recognized the way he knocked. I could recognize it out of a thousand.

''Come in,'' I said, not realizing for how long I had confined myself to my studio.

The door slowly creaked open, and I turned around to look at him. There he was. Tall, handsome and strong, with dreamy, deep, sapphire blue eyes with a hint of grey, like mist formed in his orbs. His dark brown hair was messy like always, and he had his usual scruff. Tristan was one of Killian's personal guards, which meant we knew each other very well. He wasn't just a personal guard to Killian, he was his best friend. They clicked the moment Tristan arrived at the palace, and had been inseparable ever since. Unless Tristan wasn't on Killian's service, like now.

''You've been in here for hours. When was the last time you ate?'' He asked, clear concern etched on his face.

I turned my back on him, getting back to my painting. ''I'm not hungry.''

I heard him moving behind me, dragging a small table next to my chair and setting down a plate. I looked at the plate and couldn't hold back a smile. It was my favorite dish, which was sushi. My stomach startled growling which made Tristan laugh. I guess I was hungry after all.

''I had the cooks prepare this for you. It's easy to eat while painting, plus, you love it. I've seen you consume plates of sushi in one sitting. You can be a real glutton. I don't know how you stay so slim,'' Tristan said, a charming grin on his face.

He was right. I loved food. I looked up at him and smiled appreciatively. We never needed much words to communicate, which was good because I really didn't feel like talking right now. We stayed like this for a few minutes, just looking at each other. To be honest, I was waiting for him to leave and he sensed that.

''I'm not leaving until you've taken at least a bite.''

I sighed, and picked up the ornate porcelain chopsticks. I swallowed a maki roll, and opened up my mouth to show him that I had consumed the sushi. ''See, not starving myself, so you can stop babying me.''

He looked as if he was going to say something, but decided not to. ''I'll come back in an hour, and I expect that plate to be completely empty. Unless you want me to force feed you.'' He looked like he wasn't kidding.

''Yes, dad. Now go. I can't concentrate while you're here.''

He saluted me in a joking manner and then bowed and turned, leaving the room. When the door slammed shut behind him, I felt all the tension leave my body.  
I had always had a crush on him when I was younger, but I thought it was just puppy love. Unfortunately for me, it had been getting worse over the years. His face haunted me, the men in my paintings even resembled him. He consumed me, my heart was filled with longing for him. And sometimes, I could sense more coming from his side too. I couldn't deny the stolen glances or the lingering touches. It was true that we were good friends, but I got the feeling that there was more between us, and not just coming from me. But it was useless. I was a princess, and he was merely a guard. I would be married off to the Crown Prince of The German Federation and fulfill my duty. We weren't fated to be together. We were doomed. And that was why I had to keep my distance.

* * *

 **Hi guyss. So this is just a quick chapter about Yasmin, because I really wanted to give you all an insight on what's going on with her and how she's dealing with everything, before the Selection starts. And of course, Tristan! Yasmin will play a big part in the story so I hope you liked this little chapter about her. Tell me what you think, and what do you think of Tristan? I really want to hear from you guys. :)**

 **SO NO ONE HAS GUESSED MY AGE YET! One more chanceeee. This shouldn't be difficult, haha.**

 **I'll try to update tomorrow, so hopefully I can keep that promise!**

 **As always, thanks for reading and keep reviewing!**

 **~wolfofstark**


	8. The Start of the Selection

**Prince Killian  
  
** It was time. All the girls were Selected. Fifteen potential brides. Potential Queens. I was never one to be nervous around the opposite sex, but it was different this time. I had been with quite a few girls (I was probably downplaying the amount) but it had never been more than a fling. Now, one of the girls coming to the Palace would become my wife, the mother of my children. Such a commitment made me freak out to be honest. I liked being free, no strings attached, just flirting and charming whoever sparked my interest. But this time, I had to pick one girl to charm for the rest of my life. The prospect was quite daunting. I didn't think I would be able to truly fall in love.

The doors to my office slammed open and Yasmin barged in. She carried a heavy pile of files in her arms. Tristan, who was standing guard next to my desk, just a few steps behind me, immediately piped up. ''Do you need help with that?''

Yasmin just dismissed his question with a simple wave, barely making eye contact with him. She slammed the files down on my desk, making a few papers about rebel attacks fly off.

Yasmin had practically locked herself in her studio since we heard the bad news. While mom and I distracted ourselves with planning my Selection, Yasmin had been keeping herself busy with her art. I tried to think of dad's predicament as little as possible. I pushed it away each time a small feeling of sadness even came to surface. I didn't want to deal with it, I couldn't. Not yet at least. Thankfully, dad was still doing well, which meant I wasn't confronted with his illness. It might be cowardly, but for now I was content with burying my head in the sand. I knew that down the line, I wouldn't have a choice but face the facts and deal with it, but that wasn't the case yet so I tried to keep myself as distracted and 'oblivious' as I could. The start of the Selection helped me with that, and I could see that it was helping Yasmin too.

She was practically jumping up and down in excitement at the prospect of meeting her future sister in law. ''Can you believe it, Ian? Your future wife is in one of these files. She's now boarding a plane, on her way to the palace, and in a few months she will be the Princess! And shortly after that the Qu-'' Yasmin swallowed her words and nervously looked at Tristan.

''He knows.'' I simply said. Of course Tristan knew. How could I not tell my best friend that my father was dying? I trusted him with my life, he would never blab about this.

Tristan gave Yasmin a sympathetic smile and she quickly averted her eyes. ''Anyway, aren't you excited?''

I paused and looked between Tristan and Yasmin for a moment. They had always been good friends, but Yasmin had been kind of.. cold with Tristan lately. Maybe he had done something to piss her off. I reminded myself to ask Tristan about it when we were alone.

''Sure, what's not to like about being surrounded by a bunch of girls? But I have to be serious with them this time around, so that makes my excitement less,'' I answered as I picked up a file from the pile and flipped it open. A girl with fair skin that was dotted with a lot of freckles looked up at me with her hazel eyes. _Arizona Dawson._ She had worn her golden blonde hair in a ponytail for the photo. I smiled at her picture. She had a lot of freckles, especially around her nose and under her eyes. There was something about freckles that I found very attractive. They were like skin stars.

My eyes were drawn to a note that was scribbled in red in the margins. _In a wheelchair_. I frowned at this. What difference did it make that she was in a wheelchair? I was curious now as to why, but also irritated that someone felt the need to emphasize this fact.

Yasmin sighed, ''My dear brother, you have to stop with your playboy mentality and be serious. Dad would want you to find the best possible wife.''

She knew how to strike a nerve with me. Bringing up dad had become her and mom's way of forcing me to take this Selection seriously. They knew that I wanted nothing more than to make him proud of me, especially in his last moments. His wish was for me to find a good wife before he passed, and I would do anything to grant his last wish. But that didn't mean that I would change myself. Wasn't a good wife someone who would love me despite all my flaws? These girls needed to see the real me, and I wasn't going to hide myself. Yes, I had my playboy tendencies and yes, I had some issues in the past with partying and getting out of control, but that was part of me. As long as I held those bad parts in check, I would be fine.

I cleared my throat and straightened my back, clearly showing my irritation with her bringing this up again. ''Don't worry about me, Yas. Let me do this my way. After all, I am the one looking for a wife, not you.''

Yasmin threw her hands up in frustration. ''I know, I know. I just want you to keep your heart open to the possibility of falling in love. I know you don't believe in that 'nonsense', as you like to call it, but I do. I believe that you will find true love with one of these girls,'' she said sweetly, and then added with a giggle, ''and that she will make a great addition to the family as my sister.''

I had a reason not to believe in true love, but nobody knew of that reason. And I wasn't going to tell Yasmin and shatter her dreams. She was content and happy with the way she viewed love, and who was I to tell her that it was shit? Besides, I had promised _her_ not to tell anyone, and I wasn't one to break promises. I wasn't even supposed to find out.

I picked up the next file, and Yasmin squealed a bit when I open it. I looked at her with an appalled look on my face. ''Please, don't ever make that sound again.''

I looked down at the file to see what Yasmin was so excited about. _Alondra Diablos._ Ah, the sexy and very famous singer that Yasmin was such a fan of. I had caught Yasmin dancing to Alondra's music in her room multiple times. I could see why she was so excited. I smirked to myself, I had nothing to complain about either. Alondra was a very attractive girl and it wasn't a bad prospect to have her coming to the Palace.

I looked through all the files with Yasmin like this, having her give remarks about each and every single girl. Occasionally, Tristan would also chime in, like calling Monroe Waters ''his type of girl''. This earned him a look full of daggers from Yasmin, to which Tristan responded with a teasing wink.

Of course, we had already seen all these girls come by during the Report in which the Selected were announced, but then we only saw their pictures. In these files were also their forms, filled in with details. It was nice to know a bit more about the girls who would be storming the palace soon.

 **Arabella  
  
** I walked through the large and spacious room with my checklist in hand. All along the wall, fifteen makeover stalls were lined up. Racks full of dresses were set up along the opposite wall, and scattered through the room were several chaise lounges. We were ready for the fifteen Selected who were going to walk through these doors in a matter of a few minutes.

I braced myself, tucking away a few strands of caramel blonde hair that had escaped my braid. The King had promised me that I would finally have a chance at becoming an astronaut once I finished teaching the Selected. I had lived in the Palace since I was young because my father was a trusted advisor and very good friend of the King. He always pressured me to become an advisor too, but I had always refused. My dream was being an astronaut, and I just had to get through these months of teaching etiquette and other requirements for a Princess and I could finally realize this dream. All I had to do was guide these girls.

I was nervous yet excited. After all, I was only nineteen years old and no doubt some of these girls would be my age or even older than me. Luckily, growing up in the Palace had taught me to be hard when I had to and strive for perfection. I wouldn't accept anything less than perfect from these girls.

I heard chatter approaching, and I realized that the girls had arrived. I faced the high, double doors and gave the guards stationed by them a nod, signaling to open them.

 _And so it began._

* * *

 **So, yeah.. I didn't keep my promise in my last chapter that I would update the day after, so sorry! I have this tendency to not realise how much school work I actually have and think that I have all the time in the world. But here's the update! I hoped you guys enjoyed it. Next chapter will be from some of the Selected's POVs.**

 **I know I said last time that I liked using Polyvore better, but I changed my mind since making sets with Polyvore costs so much freakin' time. So I switched to Pinterest. I have a board for the faceclaims of the Selected, a board for Yasmin and a board for Killian and Tristan. My username on there is the same as on here: wolfofstark. I probably won't do individual outfits for each girl in this stage of the Selection because again, that costs a lot of time, but feel free to create your own board for your girl. I might post date outfits but I'll have to see, I will let you guys know after each chapter if I added something to my Pinterest boards. The possibility is very high for me to do individual outfits when I get to the Elite though (top five).**

 **And to end this very long Author's Note (I'm sorry, I always have so much to ramble on about), my age has been guessed correctly! I am 20 years old. A lot of you estimated me as a lot younger, I know I come across immature haha. But I'm a 20 year old third year law student. This means that I am quite busy with my studies. So, Deeptha13 guessed correctly, and as she doesn't have a girl in the Selection (Arabella is her character) she picked the girl who will have the first date! You will find out who she is soon enough. :)**

 **As always, thanks for reading and keep reviewing!**

 **~wolfofstark**


	9. New Beginnings

**Lady Aenwyn**

I clenched my jaw, biting on my inner cheek to try and suppress my grunts of pain. The hair stylist was raking, well more like trying to rake through my unruly, vibrant red hair. It took her a lot of time and effort to finally get all the knots out, and when she did, she reached for a pair of silver scissors. I just nodded at her, giving her the permission to do with my hair as she saw fit.

I still couldn't believe that I was actually here. I was in the Palace, having people tend to my needs instead of me tending to them. I couldn't help but smile to myself. I had escaped, and I was never going back to that hell hole.

The whole journey that had let up to this moment had been full of surprises. The first one began when I learnt that, since there were only fifteen of us, all the girls would be flying in separately in their own small private jets. They were described as small, but to me they were enormous. I had never flown and gaped out of the window in awe for the duration of the flight. I was actually glad that I was travelling to the Palace alone, because I could marvel at everything I saw in peace. Besides, I was never good around my peers.

Surprise number two was the sight of the Palace. I had never seen anything like it. The walls were massive, stretching out beyond where my eyes could look. It was surrounded by a forest on the north side, and beautiful gardens by the south. The inside was even more elaborate. Everywhere I looked, I found a new, exquisite detail. The walls were high, as were the windows which made the place bathe in sunlight. The floors were marble and shining of cleanliness. My head was spinning with everything I saw.

We came in in pairs of threes, as some planes arrived on the same time. I was led inside the Palace with Jia McKarns and Sawyer Holloway. I didn't speak to them much, only acknowledged them with a nod when we were introduced. The moment we walked through the doors into the makeover room, we were greeted by a cheerful blonde. I was informed that she was the Royal planner, and would walk us through this journey that was the Selection. She assigned us to our makeover boots, and here I was.

My thick hair was cut from the middle of my bicep to my collarbones. They put some serum in that smelled like heaven and tamed my unruly locks. My eyebrows were slightly shaped and I got a manicure and pedicure. I looked into the mirror after they were done and was glad that I could still recognize myself. I was just an improved version. ''Thank you,'' I creaked to them, my voice scratchy from the lack of use in the orphanage. I was used to hardly speaking and never asking questions, but that had to change if I didn't want to get kicked out immediately. The Prince wouldn't like a girl who never spoke.

I was hauled off to a corner of the vast room where portable changing booths were located. I was greeted by three women in maid uniforms. The ginger and copper haired women seemed like they were well over 30, while the ebony haired girl seemed like she was in her 20s. All three of them curtsied at the same time, like they had been rehearsing it.

''Pleasure to meet you, Lady Aenwyn. We will be your maids during your stay in the Palace. My name is Beatrice, I am your head maid,'' the ginger haired woman began with a warm smile. ''And these are Hylee and Eisley,'' she continued while pointing at respectively the older woman and the young girl.'' They smiled welcomingly at me, and I noticed that Eisley had a scar running across her cheek.

''Pleasure to meet you too. And please, I prefer Cassia.'' I replied, not really smiling back at them. My first-hand experience with the dark side of human nature had made me reluctant towards strangers. I never treated anyone differently from others, which made me closed off to basically everyone.

Hylee led me to a rack of dresses next to my changing booth and excitedly pointed at them, ''Lady Cassia, we made you a few dresses you can choose from to wear today. Please pick one.'' She could see me looking at them with apprehension, so she pulled out a dress filled with sequins and sparkles. I immediately shook my head. It didn't feel good to wear a dress that extravagant, it simply didn't match the person I was. One of my other requirements was that it had to be floor length, to cover the scars on my ankles. I looked through the rack and found a dress that was simple, but pretty.

Eisley joined me in the changing booth and helped me into my outfit of choice. It was a light navy blue, A line chiffon dress with a sweetheart neckline and a ruffled bodice that fitted my form perfectly. It was a tad bit too revealing for my taste, but I would discuss the way I wanted my dresses to be in the future with my maids. I walked out of the booth and Beatrice gasped, ''That dress looks beautiful on you, miss.''

I smiled my thanks and they put me in my previous makeover chair, this time to do my makeup and hair. As I found out, Beatrice had magic hands and she did my thick hair in a beautiful sidebraid that started at the roots. Eisley applied, on my request, simple makeup that consisted of a small line of eyeliner, a touch of mascara and a little bit of taupe eyeshadow. I refused to wear any jewelry or nail polish, as I thought that would be too much. Hylee excitedly clapped her hands, ''All done.''

I barely had any time to register my new appearance before I was hauled off again, this time to the woman who had greeted me at the doors. As I came closer, I realized she was barely a woman as she looked like she was still in her late teens.

''Miss Arabella, we're all done with her,'' Beatrice said. Arabella looked me over and smiled in appreciation.

''You look great, Lady Aenwyn.'' I opened my mouth to correct her, preferring Cassia, but she wasn't done yet. ''You will wait in The Women's Room until all the other Selected are done with their makeovers, and when it's time for dinner I will get you girls and you will dine with the Royal Family tonight.''

She signaled a guard over to escort me to The Women's Room. My maids dashed off, probably to work on getting my room ready. I deliberately took a lot of time walking the few steps to The Women's Room, as I was trying to digest everything that had happened and would happen while also taking in the beauty of the Palace. I knew that I would have no privacy or time to think while waiting with the other Selected, and I dreaded being surrounded by so many girls. I barely realized that this was my life now. Walking through the Palace corridors, wearing an expensive and custom made dress with kitten heels that were already hurting my feet, dining with the Royal Family tonight. This was it. My life was no longer the same.

 **Lady Rania**

I was sitting on a soft cushioned, cream coloured couch in The Women's Room. The events of the day had flown past me like a gush of wind. It seemed like 15 minutes ago that I was saying goodbye to my parents, trying to hold back my tears as I clung to them. And now I was here, in a beautiful chiffon black gown that slightly faded to a dark grey at the bottom. It was designed with a beaded yoke in gold, with a simple round neck and cap sleeves. The bodice was cinched in at the waist with ruched gathered detailing and the skirt gently flared out into an A-line shape that skimmed the floor. My maids paired it with black, peep toe heels and I marveled at the inches it gave me in height. They had presented me with gold earrings with tapered chain fringe drops and crystal encrusted ear jackets. They looked and felt so expensive that I tried to refuse them, but my maids ensured me that it was provided for me and that I would have to get used to it. I carefully touched my dark brown hair that was done in Marcelle waves, which I absolutely loved. All I had said to the makeover stylists was ''please, make me pretty'' and they took the lead from there. My eyebrows were threaded into a nice shape and after I looked into the mirror when my maids were also done with me, I didn't feel so ugly, which was a first.

I anxiously played with the skirt of my dress as most of the Selected were mingling and chatting amongst each other. I had always been a shy girl, and I didn't dare or know how to approach the other girls. My mind was mostly with my brother, the Palace guard, and I couldn't wait to finally see him again. I was disturbed from my thoughts when a girl sat next to me and addressed me.

''Lady Rania, right?'' the blonde haired girl asked, a deadpan expression on her face. She was in an equally stunning red, one shoulder gown that was see partly see-through on the top. The bodice was adorned with beading that seemed to multiply at her waist, and then explode like little stars over the skirt of her dress. A red rose in her hair held back the right side of it while the rest of her golden hair cascaded around in curls on the left side. Her coffee toned eyes were brought out with a heavy application of mascara and Egyptian style Kohl eyeliner, while her lips were painted a wine red. Along with the gold armbands on her upper arm, she truly gave off the feeling of an Empress, which intimidated me.

I swallowed before answering in a timid voice, ''Yes. I'm sorry, I don't know who you are..''

''I'm Evelaine, but you can call me Elaine. Don't worry, I'm not a stalker or anything, I just did my research,'' she answered, not a hint of a smile on her expressionless face. She looked around the room and signaled to a group of girls with her head. ''Those girls, for instance, are Alondra, Aurelia and Rowan. They seem to be hitting it of rather well.''

I followed her gaze, and became even more nervous when I saw the three gorgeous and intimidating girls. I was familiar with Alondra, like every other human living on this planet, and I thought she was a good singer. She always looked nice in interviews, but right now, she was eyeing the rest of us like a hawk, already weighing her competition and probably eliminating us in her mind. To be honest, she looked scary. She was wearing a long sleeved dress that could be considered to be conservative, had it not been for the plunging neckline. I would have never dared to put on such a dress, even if it were in the privacy of my own room. The other girl, Aurelia, was wearing an equally seductive dress with a long slit that went up her thigh. And then there was Rowan, whose dress was skintight and slightly see-through, while also revealing a bit of cleavage. It seemed like they were judging us already, probably gossiping and making snide remarks. I was glad I was out of their earshot. Alondra caught my eye and I quickly averted my gaze, not wanting to draw attention to myself.

Evelaine could sense my nerves, and she did her best to calm them, still not giving me a smile. ''Girls like that are like dogs, they can smell your fear. Don't give them an opportunity to bully you.''

''Thanks.'' I breathed, although I knew her advice was useless. Bullies always seemed to find me, pick me out from the crowd. If only I was strong enough to actually stand up for myself. Evelaine looked like the type of person who could handle bullies, and I was glad she was sitting beside me. She was hard to read though, with her deadpan expression that seemed to be plastered on her face. Had I made a friend?

I heard the doors of The Women's Room open, letting the last girl in. I heard Alondra snickering as a girl in a wheelchair wheeled herself in. ''Ah, seems like the charity case has arrived. Stay away from her, everyone. She's an untouchable.''

I knew that term. Untouchable meant that she was an Eight. I looked at the girl with pity in my eyes, as it seemed that Alondra had already found her target. Everyone was silent, until a dark haired girl with wide, alarmingly bright blue eyes stood up. Evelaine leaned in and muttered, ''Monroe Waters. And the girl in the wheelchair is Arizona Dawson.''

Monroe walked up to Arizona, and grabbed a chair to sit beside her. ''Don't mind the stuck up priss.''

Arizona smiled at her, seemingly not bothered at all by Alondra's harsh words. She seemed like a friendly, good-tempered girl. Evelaine stood up to grab a chair and join Monroe and Arizona, and I quickly followed, not wanting to be left behind. Monroe and Arizona had already started to engage in a lively conversation, and Elaine and I joined them. They were both incredibly kind and sociable, and they seemed eager to make new friends, just like I was. We kept our conversation at light-hearted topics, and we couldn't help but muse as to what the Royals, and especially the Prince, were doing at the moment.

''I have a theory,'' Monroe started. ''You've all seen the Queen, right? There's no way that someone as beautiful as her doesn't puke gold. And the King probably coughs out rainbows.'' This, and the fact that she said it with such a serious expression on her face, made us burst out into laughter. Even Evelaine, who had been so stoic, had an amused smile on her face.

I was incredibly glad and thankful that Evelaine had approached me, and that we, mostly she, decided to join Arizona and Monroe in their conversation. I was hopeful that if I didn't win, I would at least have made new friends.

* * *

 **The Selected have arrived to the Palace! I hope you liked this chapter. The next chapter will continue from this point and will probably also be the dinner. Would you like the dinner to be from a Selected's POV or from the Prince? Let me know!**

 **I tried to include as many girls as I could in this chapter without it becoming too 'crowded'. I will say though, I am more inclined to give your girl a POV/date/write about her if you review (often). Because I don't want to feel like I'm writing your character and giving her a lot of time in the story if you're not even reading it, you know? Hopefully you all understand!**

 **As I change my mind every second or so, I made a board for every Selected on my pinterest (username: wolfofstark) and put their post-makeover/first day dress and hairstyle on it. So, check that out and let me know what you think! I hope I did every girl's style justice. If I didn't, please PM me or let me know.  
** **Like I said earlier, I won't be doing this for every girl for every single chapter, but for special events like the First Day and balls/parties etc. I will do individual date outfits though.**

 **Sooo, in short, my questions:**

 **\- Do you want the dinner to be from a Selected's POV or the Prince?**  
 **\- Did you like this chapter?**  
 **\- How quickly do you want the first date to be? Do you want a chapter just about the Royals, after the first day is over, or do you want the date?**

 **Thanks for reading and keep reviewing!**

 **~wolfofstark**


	10. First Meetings

**Prince Killian**

There I was, standing before the double entry doors that led to the dining room. I could hear some murmur already, and I was guessing that the girls were waiting in anticipation for me to arrive. My parents and Yasmin were already inside, since I had to make a 'grand entrance', as Yasmin put it. I thought it was a bit dramatic, but she and mother insisted.

A voice beside me interrupted me from my train of thought. ''Well, come on. Since when don't you jump at the chance to meet new ladies?'' Tristan asked.

I straightened my crown, my brown hair sweeping up beneath it. ''One of those voices is the voice of my future wife. Just give me some damn time to register that.'' I replied grumpily. This was how our friendship worked. Bickering and joking around.

I waited for a few more moments, and then signaled the guards to open the grand doors. The murmurs immediately died the moment they opened and I walked in, fifteen heads turning in my direction.

All the girls, minus one, quickly scurried to their feet and curtsied to the best of their ability. I could see that some still had trouble with that, and others were already gracefully dipping low. I was glad that I still remembered every single name and that they hadn't changed drastically after their makeovers. I had no choice but to remember their names, as Yasmin had drilled it in my brain during the past days.

My eyes were drawn to Lady Arizona, who merely dipped her head from her seat in her wheelchair. I quickly averted my eyes and smiled my most dashing smile. ''Good evening, ladies. It's such a pleasure to finally meet you. Please, have a seat and enjoy your meal.''

The girls sat down in their chair as I walked up to my family, who were seated at a table that was slightly removed from the Selected, but overseeing the entire room. I took my seat in between Yasmin and my father, who looked at me with a proud smile on his face.

''Well done, son.''

''All I did was greet them,'' I replied, not understanding what he was so proud of.

''I know. I'm just glad that you're doing this and starting this journey for me to see.''

I smiled back at my father, appreciating that he actually voiced his feelings. I had noticed that he was doing that a lot lately. While growing up, our father hadn't been around that much. It was understandable, and I always made excuses for him. A good king needed to put all his time and energy into his work, he couldn't have any distractions. And since dad was such a beloved King, it seemed to me that his method actually worked. But I couldn't deny that it had also been hard for me and Yasmin. I was glad that his illness made him realize that he needed to spend more time with us, and he did. Before, he used to spend his free time in his study, doing extra work that one of his advisors could have easily done. And now, he spent that time with us. It did make me wonder how I would be as King and father. Would I be able to find the right balance?

I was snapped out of my thoughts as the waiting staff started bringing the food in. I looked at all the Selected, curious as to what their reactions to the luxurious food were. The lower castes were practically drooling, enthusiastically diving into their meals. The upper castes barely had any reaction, as they were probably used to this.

Yasmin poked me in the arm. ''Well, what do you think?'' she asked, her eyes also fixed on the Selected. Our table was close enough to converse with the ladies without yelling, but also far enough to have our own private conversations if we spoke in a hushed manner.

''To be honest, I don't know yet. They are all attractive in their own way, which is a plus.'' I replied, my shallow side surfacing. ''That's all I can say about them for now until I get to know them better. For the time being, I'm satisfied.''

''Well, don't mind me then if I do some digging,'' she said, excitement gleaming in her eyes. Yasmin had promised me from the start that she would do her very best to infiltrate the Selected and get to know everything about them, to help me make decisions. I guess she was already starting with that.

She leaned forward a bit, addressing the girl sitting closest to her. ''Lady April, is it? I read in your file that you're a genetic scientist. How did you get a job like that at such a young age?''

''I completed high school at a very early age. After that, I obtained a science degree in two years instead of the customary four. That's when I started working in the lab,'' the red haired girl replied. She looked slightly anxious to be spoken to directly by Yasmin, which I couldn't exactly blame her for. Yasmin could come off quite strong.

''That's quite impressive,'' I said. I wasn't planning on conversing with all the Selected on this evening, as I had the whole Selection to get to know them, but I couldn't deny that I was fascinated. While I knew I was as an intelligent man, I never quite got the appeal of science. That was mostly because I just didn't understand it. I lacked in that department, but my intelligence in other subjects made up for it.

Yasmin moved on to the girl sitting next to Lady April, which was Lady Viollca. ''And what do you do?''

''I'm a comic book artist,'' she replied politely.

Yasmin immediately piped up at that. ''That's so cool! I'm an artist too. You should come to my studio sometime.''

Viollca seemed to be taken back a bit by Yasmin's enthusiasm and looked like she didn't really know what to reply. That was until Yasmin started to ask her more questions about her work, and the girl answered all her questions enthusiastically, hands flailing about.

I watched them for a few moments, smiling to myself. I was glad that Yasmin seemed to be making friends with these girls, as Yasmin wanted to gain a sister more than anything. Viollca seemed sweet, although a bit eccentric and slightly out there.

I let Yasmin and Viollca have their conversation as I got back to my food, while my eyes surveyed the rest of the table. My glance stopped at Lady Alondra, who was wearing a dress her chest almost seemed to spill out of. I swallowed and tried to suppress a grin as I saw two other ladies who were also wearing quite scandalous dresses, Lady Rowan and Lady Aurelia. I already knew what their tactic would be, and to be honest, I was quite looking forward to it. Nothing wrong with having a little fun, right?

The dinner continued without a hitch as Yasmin questioned a few other ladies before turning her attention back to our own table.

''Well, have you already decided who is going to be your future sister-in-law?'' I joked.

Yasmin pretended to think about this, before replying, ''I have a few contenders.''

''I think they all seem lovely,'' my mother chimed in from the other side of the table, elegance personified. ''Even though some of them could cover up a bit more.''

''I knew you were going to say that, mom. There's nothing wrong with a bit of skin. It's the modern age, lighten up,'' Yasmin teasingly said.

''It's up to Killian. He'll be the one choosing,'' dad said.

I was glad that my parents were giving me so much freedom with choosing my bride. I knew it wasn't always this case in the Selection, and political strategy always had to be considered too. But dad had decided to take a different approach with my Selection, and I was glad for it. Falling in love and committing to one girl was already hard enough, I didn't need the extra complications.

 **Officer Tristan**

Dinner was finally over. All the Selected were brought to their rooms, their guards were posted at their doors and the Royal Family had also retreated to the Royal Wing. I had just closed the door to Killian's room behind me, done with my shift for today. I greeted my fellow guard who would be taking over from me, and started to walk down the hallway. I contemplated going to my own room, but I had something to take care of first.

Her maid, Aria, immediately opened the door after just a few knocks. She didn't look surprised, as she was used to me visiting Yasmin in her room. Everyone in the Palace knew of the friendship between me, Yasmin and Killian. But that friendship had seemed off these past few weeks.

''Who is that?'' I heard Yasmin ask from across the room. I didn't wait for Aria to answer and moved past her.

''We need to talk.''

Yasmin looked up from her seat behind her vanity. Her other maid was in the process of taking the pins out of her hair, taking down the elaborate hairdo. Yasmin motioned for her to stop. ''Could you leave us?''

The maids curtsied and hurried out of the room, closing the door behind them.

I walked over to where Yasmin sat, standing behind her and looking at her reflection in the mirror. She was doing the same, finishing the process her maid had started. I didn't speak as I watched her do this, entranced by the way her dark hair fell to her shoulders, framing her angelic face.

I had watched her all throughout dinner. I could never get tired of looking at her. The critics may love her art and praise her for her creativity and talent, but they didn't realize that she was the most beautiful artwork of them all. The way her eyes shone when she laughed reminded me of aquamarine gemstones. Her smile could light up any room, and I had seen far too little of it since she had found out about her father. It did me good to see it again tonight. It did me more than good actually. This is why the fact that she had been so cold to me lately infuriated me even more.

''Did I do something wrong?'' I asked.

She looked at me through the mirror, feigning confusion as she picked up a brush and ran it through her hair. ''I don't know what you mean.''

''Stop with the act, Yasmin. You know what I mean. You've been cold and distant lately, and I want to know why. Is it me? Did I do something to upset you?''

She slowly put down the brush, stood up and turned around to face me. The big skirt of her blue dress pressed against my legs as she stepped closer to me.

''The mere sight of you upsets me,'' Yasmin slowly said.

This took me aback. I had expected her to give me a petty little reason, or convince me that there really wasn't anything that I had done. I had never expected her to say this. The girl I loved just told me that she couldn't even stand to see me.

I swallowed hard before I spoke again, ''Well, excuse me then, Princess. If you can't even stand to look at me, I will do my best to make sure you have to do that as little as possible.'' I bowed to her, not showing any emotion on my face, and turned around and walked to the door, more than ready to leave.

''It upsets me because I know that I can never have you.''

I stopped dead in my tracks.

''I'm the Princess, and I'm engaged to the Crown Prince of the German Federation. I have to marry him, even though my heart will never belong to him.'' Her voice was shaky, and she took a steadying breath before she continued, ''It belongs to you.''

I slowly turned, looking at Yasmin in disbelief. This was another scenario I hadn't expected, at all. She was fidgeting with her hands and tears were forming in her eyes, which hurt me. I never wanted to be the cause of her tears.

I was by her side in a few long steps, and before I knew it, my hands were on her cheeks and my lips pressed to her soft ones. I could feel the tears spilling out of her eyes as she wrapped her arms around my neck, holding onto me and melting into our kiss. It was nothing like I had ever experienced before. It was sweet and gentle, but also burning with passion and desire. It was as if everything had fallen perfectly into place in this exact moment. This was where we needed to be, where we belonged. In each other's arms.

She broke the kiss and looked at me, a questioning look in her eyes. I gently wiped away her tears with my thumb and smiled at her. ''Mine belongs to you, too.''

This made even more of her tears come out, but this time they were tears of happiness. I tried not to think of the fact that this didn't resolve the problem of her engagement. I just wanted to focus on this moment, on her, so I kissed her again.

The kiss turned heated very quickly, and before I knew it, my shirt was on the floor and she was admiring my muscular body.

''I never knew you were hiding _this_ under that uniform.''

I grinned, flexing my muscles which made her laugh. ''I need to be strong to protect you.''

She rolled her eyes at this cheesy remark, and I pulled her close to me, letting my hands roam over her body which was still covered by her ridiculously intricate dress. ''Now, how the hell do I take this thing off?''

* * *

 **Yeah, Trismin happened. I just had to let them be together, and since a lot of you love them, I had to give them a part in this chapter. Hope you're satisfied. Oh and you can see Yasmin's 'intricate' dress, as Tristan put it, on her pinterest board.**

 **So, that was the first meeting between Killian and all the Selected. Sorry it wasn't that long, but as Killian also said, he will be having plenty of time to get to know every single girl.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and tell me what you thought of the first meeting and of course, Trismin.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **~wolfofstark**


	11. Heroine Princess

**Prince Killian**

Mom and Yasmin had been bugging me about choosing my first date since I had met the Selected at dinner. They had only been in the Palace for two days now, but like mom said, time was ticking. To try and escape their prying questions, I went out for an early morning ride.

I walked into the stables, heading for my Arabian horse, Sultan. He immediately began neighing when he saw me approach. I smiled and stroked his head and black coat, ''You're always happy to see me, huh? Let's go for a ride.''

I was on his back in no time, and we were galloping through the forest, my mind clearing out the farther we got from the Palace. I wished I could just keep riding, away from all this madness, away from my duties and never turn back. But unfortunately, that was a hopeless dream. I had to turn back eventually, and as I returned and led Sultan back to his stable, I felt the memories from _that_ day returning to me. This was where I had found them.

My thoughts got interrupted by a high pitched scream outside. Well, it wasn't exactly a scream. More of a mix between a squeal and a scream. And from that I knew that it was Yasmin.

I approached the palace steps in time to see Yasmin running down and practically tackling a blonde haired girl who had just stepped out of a long limousine. The girl's tiara barely kept its balance on her head as she hugged Yasmin in equal enthusiasm. From the limousine, her tiara and the British accent, I immediately knew who it was. _Fuck me._ If there ever was a bad time to bring my ex to the Palace, it was now.

I quietly watched them as the Princess of England kissed the Princess of Illeá on the cheek. There she was, Beatrice-Alida Natasha Crowne. Her eyes shone as much as ever, matching her lively personality and bright smile. It had been a year since I last saw her, and I knew that Yasmin missed her every day. The two were best friends but they didn't see each other as often as they'd like too. Yasmin had always been kind of jealous when Bea and I were a 'thing', because she couldn't have Bea all too herself. But who the fuck thought it was a good idea to have her here during my Selection? While she was never officially my girlfriend, she was the longest fling I ever had. We lasted for six months, and our pictures were plastered all over the tabloids. In Illéa _and_ in England. We were known as the wild kids, partying in exclusive clubs around the world all night, drinking until we passed out, and sharing a bed. I was sure that at least some of the Selected knew of our 'relationship'. Having her around them could become a problem.

She finally noticed me standing there, and smiled as she let go of Yasmin. The feeling between us could only be described with one word, and that was 'awkward'.

I walked over to them and bent forward a little, as she only stood at 5'2'', to kiss her on her cheek. ''It's good to see you again, Bea. I didn't know you were planning on coming.''

Bea smiled brightly at Yasmin, before she replied, ''Well, Yasmin wrote me about the Selection and that she would love it if I could be here, and I thought, why not? It will be fun to watch you squirm and try to juggle fifteen girls at once.''

Yasmin giggled, ''Well, we have already cut it down from the usual thirty-five girls. Imagine that!''

A few butlers hurried down the steps to carry Bea's bags inside the Palace, and I awkwardly cleared my throat. ''Well, if you girls don't mind, I have work to do. I will see you at dinner.''

I hurried inside, having never felt as awkward as in that moment. I hadn't seen Bea anymore after we ended things, and it was rather unusual to see one of my former flings and to actually have her stay around. I always had the rule to never fool around with girls who I would see more than once, so I stayed away from the maids and other Royals. But Bea had just drawn me in. And now I was stuck feeling like an oaf around her.

 **Lady Viollca**

I was walking down the hallway alone, not bothering to join the other girls, because to be honest, groups of people exceeding the number five freaked me out. I was on my way to our first lesson taught by Miss Arabella, the royal planner. My head was in a completely other space, as I was already fantasizing about how I could use my experience in the Palace until now in my next story. My readers would absolutely love it. I wasn't paying any attention at all which caused me to bump into something hard. It wasn't until I looked up that I realized I had bumped into a body. And not just any body, the Prince's.

''Your Highness! I'm so sorry!'' I quickly curtsied as I straightened my midnight blue dress.

He waved off my apology, ''Don't worry about it, Lady Viollca.''

I smiled at him, surprised that he actually knew my name. He was still in his riding outfit, which consisted of a white dress shirt and a black and grey vest, along with riding boots. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, showing off his toned arms. I had to admit, he was pretty handsome.

He had looked rather irritated, but that disappeared when I smiled at him. ''Are you enjoying your stay at the Palace?'' he asked as he smiled back at me, very charmingly I must add.

I nodded, my hands fiddling with my dress as I didn't exactly know how to behave around the Crown Prince. ''It's great. I've never been in a place like this, and it will definitely help me develop my future stories, if they were to take place in a grand castle or palace. One has to experience things to perfectly envision them, right? I can already imagine my next heroine as a badass Princess, fighting crime in her restless country, while still retaining the proper image her people have of her. Doesn't that sound good? Now I just have to think of a title-'' I quickly shut my mouth as I saw the Prince's expression turning from bemused to amused. I was talking too much again.

''I'm so sorry! I tend to not know when to shut my mouth. And the fact that you are the Crown Prince doesn't exactly make the situation better. I bet my new heroine would know what to do in a situation like this. See, here I go again.'' I threw my hands in the air, opening my mouth to apologize again.

''Don't apologize, it's okay. I don't mind you talking. It's rather.. interesting. May I add that a Princess with some kind of superpower would add to the value of the story?'' the Prince grinned.

I started laughing, hardly believing that he was taking my rambling seriously. My laugh turned into a snort, and I quickly covered my mouth as that caused me to laugh even harder. ''Your Highness must think I'm crazy.''

''Please, stop calling me Your Highness. It's Killian,'' he said, a grin still plastered on his face.

''Okay then, Killian. Then I am just Viollca. I would love to work on our superhero Princess story, but your staff didn't allow me to bring any of my writing and drawing tools. So, you'll just have to wait to see this wonderful heroine in action.''

''That can be fixed,'' he simply said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. ''Well, excuse me, Viollca, but I have to work on some rather boring Prince stuff. Enjoy your day.''

And with that, he was gone. It took me a few seconds to process that I just had a conversation with the Prince. And not just any conversation, it was about my comic books. And I snorted, right in front of him! Thank God he didn't send me home right then and there. This would be another useful experience for my work.

I hurried off to the Great Room where we would have our lessons. Everyone was already seated, and I was glad that I didn't have to socialize with them as the lesson was already starting. I took my place in the back corner of the room and Arabella clasped her hands together.

''Alright, ladies. First of all, welcome to your first lesson. I'm sure you're almost settled in, but there is something very important I need to make you aware of. Today, we will be talking about the rebels,'' she said.

Some ladies gasped at the mention of the rebels, and I sat up a bit straighter, my interest perked.

''As you all know, King Edward's grandparents reinstated the caste system after it was almost taken down. Rebels have always been active, but this made them even more furious with the monarchy. They especially have something against Prince Killian as the future King, so the Selection announcement hasn't been sitting well with them. Attacks are reported more frequently, and they have been more deadly. They will try to attack the Palace. But the security system has also been extended and more safe rooms have been built. You will have to know what to do when a rebel attack happens. And that's what I'm here for.''

I swallowed hard. I wasn't heroic or fearless like the characters in my comic books. This scared me, and I saw that most of the other girls were scared as well. Arabella noticed and she smiled reassuringly at us, ''Don't worry. You girls are our priority, after the Royal Family.''

I listened to her explaining the intricate system of the safe rooms, and telling us all about the rules and regulations around a rebel attack. It was quite exhausting, and I couldn't wait to get out of here when she was finally over. While most of the girls exited the room rather slowly, chatting about what we had just heard, I swiftly left the room. I went upstairs, heading for my room, and my maids immediately greeted me when I walked through the door.

Nakato looked up from her cleaning, a broad grin forming on her round face, ''What did you do?''

I closed the doors behind me, not sure what she was talking about, ''What do you mean?''

Monaca pointed to my desk, ''T-this was d-del-delivered to y-your ro-room,'' she stuttered.

I walked over and unwrapped the large, black box as my maids scurried around me. I gasped when I took off the lid. Inside was everything I needed. All the tools like pens, pencils, ink, paper, sketchbooks and a lot more was neatly packed in there. I could see that the quality of the materials was much higher than what I was used to working with, and my hands itched as I couldn't wait to try them out. A crisp, white note was set on top of all the materials. I opened it and quickly read the contents.

''Well, what does it say?'' Nakato asked rather impatiently.

I turned the note around so the writing inside was facing them. ' _It's fixed. No excuses._ ' Below these words, a rather sloppy crown was scribbled, as if I wouldn't know that it was from him without it.

''OH MY GOD. The Prince has given you a present!'' Nakato yelled.

''You're going to deafen us,'' Jera said, rolling her eyes, although she did seem excited for me as well.

I was barely thinking about the Prince, too focused on the materials before me, grinning from ear to ear. I probably looked like an idiot but I didn't care. I could draw again.

 **Prince Killian**

''Ian. You have to pick someone for your first date.''

''Leave me alone, Yas. I'd rather not think about that right now.''

I was laying on my bed, finally done with all the paperwork for today. My head was still reeling from the fact that Bea was here. I shouldn't let it bother me so much, but she reminded me too much of that dark period in my life. Of all the drinking.

I sat up, looking at Yasmin rather furiously, ''Why the hell did you invite Bea?''

''First of all, she's my best friend and I missed her. And second of all, why do you care? You're not fooling around with her anymore.''

''That's not the point,'' I replied as I ran a hand through my hair. ''You know what we used to do together. Having her around won't do me much good. Are mom and dad even okay with it?''

She sat on the edge of my bed. ''Mom was apprehensive at first. When you and Bea were together, mom didn't really like her, because you two were so bad together and she doesn't want you to fall back into that lifestyle. But Bea has really cleaned up her act. She's done with all the partying, and mom and dad treat her as their own daughter now. They've always loved her but then you two became a thing and everything was messed up.''

''Don't blame me.''

''I'm not blaming you. I'm blaming both of you. Why couldn't you two just be like me? I never caused any problems,'' Yasmin said with a teasing grin.

I rolled my eyes, and Yasmin got off the bed, pulling me with her. ''And now, you're going to choose your date.''

''I don't even know these girls yet. I spoke to a few during dinner, and I bumped into one of the Selected in the hallway today. That's it. How do I know who to choose?''

''Fine. Then we will make it random,'' Yasmin said as she let go of my hand. She walked over to my desk and grabbed the Selected files. She put them on the floor, one by one, and then stepped away. ''Pick one.''

I cocked an eyebrow. ''You're serious? Leaving the first date of the Selection up to fate?''

''Yes. Why not?''

''Have it your way.'' I looked at all the files, before bending down and picking one up. I opened it and looked at the picture inside, before smiling. ''Not bad.''

* * *

 **Yup, Killian sort of has an awkward side. Next chapter will be the first date! Still leaving it a mystery who it will be.**

 **So, Bea, the Princess of England was created by the lovely Irew2376. I hope you enjoyed her character and her interesting past with Killian. Hmmm and what could have happened in the stables that I'm trying to suspensefully build up?**

 **I created a more general Seeking Redemption board on my pinterest in which I will post faceclaims that are not of the Selected, i.e. of the Royal Family and other side characters (like Bea). And I also added Killian's riding outfit to his board, if you want to check that out. :)**

 **Oh and I added a poll to my profile in which you can choose your top three girls. I chose the options of three votes because then everyone will have to choose someone who isn't their character ;). I will update this poll regularly and it will influence the story in a way.**

 **I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter and Viollca's POV. Don't worry, all the girls will get POV's, I just don't want to put too much different POV's in one chapter. Thank you all soooo much for the continuous reviews, it means a lot to me! You are the reason I'm writing this story. I want to give a special thanks to some of my most loyal readers (ha, this sounds like I'm some bestselling author) who always give the loveliest and extensive and quickest reviews:**

 **GenuineHarajukuDoll, more. than. just. a. story, XOStarbrightXO, Deeptha13, Delicate Golden Flower, WaffleManiac and my new reader Irew2376. You guys are awesome!**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **~wolfofstark**


	12. Sunset Lake

My maids had been giddy all morning. Apparently, they had asked the Prince what the date would be so they could dress me appropriately. I was put in a white blouse and a high-waisted, blue and white striped skirt that ended above my knees. My hair was curled and left loose, and some light makeup applied to my face. As always, I insisted on wearing my silver necklace with a shooting star. To top my look off, Emma put a sunhat on my head, with a pink bow tied around it. I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled.

''Thank you so much! You've all done a great job.''

I stood up to hug them, and Sophia beamed, ''We're so excited for you. The first date with the Prince is all yours! You're going to love it.''

I pouted, ''I can't believe you guys know what we're going to do and you're not telling me.''

''We promised the Prince, and we can't exactly break that promise,'' Emma said matter-of-factly.

''You're right, you're right,'' I mumbled as I slipped on my nude strappy heels.

Suddenly, the nerves settled in. I was actually going on a date with the Crown Prince. The first date! And the fact that I had always had a crush on him didn't exactly calm my nerves.

Hazel saw how nervous I was and grabbed my hand, ''Don't worry and just be yourself.''

I nodded and glanced at myself in the mirror one last time. This was it.

The Prince had requested me to meet him at the lake, and so I walked down the marble steps of the Palace, through the palace gardens until I saw him standing by the docks.

I took a deep breath as I walked up to him, my hand fiddling with my sunhat.

''Lady Olympia,'' the Prince smiled as he took ahold of my hand and brought my knuckles to his lips.

''Your highness,'' I softly spoke as I curtsied, barely able to look him in the eyes. Why did he have to look so handsome?

''Please, just call me Killian,'' he said as he let go of my hand. He was wearing a white sweater with black stripes on it, the sleeves rolled up, and black shorts underneath. If he wasn't the Prince, he probably could have been a model.

''Okay, Killian.. Then you can call me Olive,'' I said as I finally looked him in the eyes. I couldn't help but smile back at him as I saw the grin that was plastered on his face. It was quite infectious.

''Are you ready for our date?''

I nodded and tore my eyes off him, looking behind him to see a sailboat ready by the docks. ''Are we going sailing?''

Killian nodded and looked at me curiously, trying to read my reaction.

My smile grew instantly. ''That sounds like so much fun! I've never actually sailed before, but it sounds thrilling.''

Killian laughed as he grabbed my hand again, ''It's not so much thrilling as it is relaxing. Follow me.''

He led us to the end of the dock, keeping my hand in his as he stepped inside the boat. He released his grip on my hand and put his hands on my waist. Without a warning, he lifted me up and set me down on the deck. I couldn't prevent an ''Oh!'' and the giggle that followed from leaving my mouth. He certainly was a hands-on kind of guy.

''Have a seat, milady. Just sit back and watch me work,'' he said as he gestured for me to sit down on the cushions that he had prepared on the deck. In the middle, there was a basket filled with all kinds of sweets and fruits, along with a bottle of champagne.

I took a seat as I watched him work the sails and ropes. His muscular arms were very apparent because of his rolled up sleeves, and I couldn't look at him without blushing. A silence passed between us as he readied the boat and we started moving forward on the water. This wasn't the time to be shy. I had to make my date with the Prince count.

''So..,'' I started as Killian came over to sit across from me, ''You've had a lot of experience sailing?'' _Smooth, Olive, so very smooth._

''I've been sailing ever since I was a little kid. Being on or in the water always seems to calm me down,'' he said as he took a strawberry out of the basket and popped it into his mouth.

''You must have grown up with a lot of pressure on you,'' I said as Killian started stalling all the content of the basket out on the blanket in between us. His eyebrows knitted together and he looked up at me and flashed me his signature grin.

''I don't want to talk about me. I'd rather talk about you.''

All of a sudden, the different cakes and pastries started to look very interesting. ''My life isn't that interesting,'' I said, my eyes still fixed on the sweets and my fingers playing with the edge of the blanket.

''Oh that can't be true. Everyone has a story,'' he replied. ''My story is known to all of Illéa so there isn't much to say on my part. I want to know your story.'' He took out two champagne flutes out of the basket and poured us two glasses of the sparkling liquid.

I took the flute he offered me and brought it to my lips, taking a big sip. I expected to feel something, but strangely, I didn't. My experience with drinking alcohol was very limited, so maybe champagne was just not that strong? I took my gaze of the blanket and looked him in the eyes.

''I used to live with my grandparents until my grandma died six months ago. Now I live with my parents, grandfather and my baby brother and sister. They're twins.''

''I'm so sorry about your grandmother..'' Killian looked awkward, to say the least. I could see that he regretted asking me about my life, and he could probably sense that I didn't want to elaborate any further.

''That's the summary of my life,'' I took another sip. Still nothing. ''On a less serious note, I love being in nature. And reading. Reading while surrounded by our beautiful world is probably my favorite thing to do.''

Killian seemed to relax as I changed the subject. ''You sound like a lady after my own heart. Do you like horseback riding?''

''I love horseback riding!'' I exclaimed enthusiastically, almost spilling the remaining content of my champagne glass.

''Then we should do that for our second date.''

I blushed at his notion that there would even be a second date. At least I wasn't screwing this up.

We continued chatting while stuffing our faces with delicious sweets. For one, I learned that as a child, Killian would spend hours in bath because he loved the water so much. Since there wasn't a pool in the palace, and the Queen felt bad for het little Prince who was constricted to his tub, the King had an indoor pool built just for him.

''Have you ever seen the cartoon movie _The Little Mermaid_? Apparently, ever since I saw that I was convinced that I was a merman. I even had my own little trident that I used to carry with me everywhere. I thought my name was too 'humanly' so I made everyone call me Triton, like the merman King. Glad that phase is over.''

His childhood story made me burst out into laughter, as I imagined tiny, proud Killian with a tiny trident. ''I hope you have pictures. I need to see those.''

''Oh I do,'' he grinned. ''But I'm saving those for my future wife.''

I pouted as I grabbed the last brownie muffin. ''That's not fair. They sound too precious not to share with the world.''

''Life isn't fair, sweetheart,'' he replied as he winked. I was just about to take a bite out of my muffin, but my gaze was fixed at him, muffin still hovering in front of my mouth. That stupid crush was even preventing me from eating this delicious chocolaty goodness now.

''Is there something wrong?'' Killian asked as he came closer.

I dropped my muffin on the blanket as I leaned back, nervously shaking my head. He kept coming closer though, which did nothing for my nerves, and I started scooting backwards, until suddenly..

''Olive, watch out!'' he warned as he extended his hand to me. The deck underneath me suddenly disappeared, and before I even fully registered what was happening, I grabbed his hand and pulled him with me, falling backwards.

We hit the water with a splash. I quickly came up, gasping for air. My hat had disappeared and my mascara had probably reached my chin by now. Killian was treading water in front of me, and he was actually laughing. ''Thanks for pulling me with you. If you wanted to take a swim, you could have just said so.'' He pushed the locks of hair that were stuck to his forehead out of his face as he grinned in amusement.

''I-I'm so sorry!'' I stammered, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. ''I.. I didn't know we were sitting so close to the edge of the boat. And now my hat is gone.'' I mumbled as I averted my eyes, scanning our surroundings. I wasn't really looking for my hat, but I was far too flustered to look him in the eyes. Had I really just pulled the Crown Prince into the lake?

I felt a hand on my cheek, and I looked at Killian with my eyebrows furrowed and a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. Was this it? Was he kicking me out?

''Hey. I just told you that I was a damn merman when I was little. Don't be upset. I don't mind getting wet.'' He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. ''Look at the positives. The water isn't cold, I will probably never forget this date, and the world is beautiful.''

He seemed to look at something besides us as he said this, and I followed his gaze. ''That's beautiful..'' I gasped. The sun was setting, casting a beautiful orange glow over the rippling water of the lake. The sky was enveloped in different shades of yellow and orange, the Palace proudly basking in its brilliance. I had never seen anything like it.

''See? Not so bad, right, Miss Nature?''

I smiled and looked back at him. ''Thanks for not kicking me out on the spot.''

He laughed. ''Why would I do that?''

I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could even get the words out, I was interrupted by his lips on mine. My nerves from before seemed to vanish in thin air and instead were replaced by fluttering butterflies.

...

Killian had found some blankets on the boat to wrap us up in, and while our clothes were still dripping wet, we had found some warmth. He helped me off the boat and onto the dock as he had carried me on, and he offered me his arm as he carried the basket in his other hand. We walked down the dock and up to the Palace steps in comfortable silence.

I could still feel his lips on mine. I couldn't believe that I just had my first kiss with the freakin' Crown Prince of Illéa. During sunset. After falling into a lake. It couldn't have been more perfect if I had planned it.

He walked me to my room, and pressed a kiss on my knuckles as he smirked. ''I had a great time today.''

The butterflies sprang to life again. ''Me too.''

''Have a great night, Olive.'' He let go of my hand and turned around. I kept watching him while he walked down the hall, until he was out of view. I brought my fingers to my lips, softly touching them. I smiled to myself as I turned around to open the door to my room. I had made up my mind. I wasn't going to tell the other Selected about our kiss. It was something between me and Killian, and it was far too precious to me to share with them.

* * *

 **There you go, the first date! Sorry for not updating for a while as I mostly kept with my uploading schedule of once a week. I just haven't been feeling that great these past days. I hope that wasn't reflected in the quality of this chapter, but it is definitely reflected in the length. I'm sorry it's shorter than usual, but I decided to just focus on the date and not bring in any of the other Selected. I really hope you still like the chapter and the date. I'm happy with the way the date went but the quality of how it is written.. urgh I don't know. I'm in a weird headspace right now, forgive me!**

 **Oh and come on, of course Killian would kiss on the first date. Of course.**

 **Pinterest update:**

 **\- Prince Killian board: his date outfit  
\- Lady Olympia board: her date outfit**

 **Thanks again for the amazing reviews, they always make my day! Thanks for reading and keep reviewing.**

 **~wolfofstark**


	13. Tiara Madness

**Lady Jia**

After a long day of tedious lessons by Miss Arabella, we finally had time to relax in the Women's Room. Friendships were slowly forming between the Selected. There was an obvious rift between Alondra, Aurelia and Rowan and all the rest of the girls. 'The Plastics', as we called them, enjoyed spending their time in a corner of the room, gossiping and plotting to take us all down. We payed as little attention to them as possible. Our nickname for them was actually created by Evelaine.

''Have you guys ever seen the movie _Mean Girls_?'' Evelaine had asked one day, while we were out of earshot from the three bitches.

Everyone kept a blank expression, which made Evelaine sigh in frustration. ''My mother once forced me to watch it. She said that every girl should see this movie at least once in their lives. Anyway, there was this clique of nasty girls who called themselves 'The Plastics'. I think we have our own Plastics right here in this Selection.''

And thus, The Plastics were born.

I didn't expect to get along with the girls so well, but I did. There were a few who liked to keep to themselves, like Aenwyn, Viollca, Alicia and Maria. The rest of us were getting along with each other pretty well.

Rania, Evelaine, Olympia, Arizona, April, Sawyer, Monroe and I were all huddled around the television, watching a broadcast about the Selection. On the screen, Olympia and Prince Killian were waving to the cameras as the sailboat they were on got further away from sight.

''You still haven't told us anything about your date,'' Sawyer remarked, turning to face Olympia.

The brunette shrugged. ''It was fun. We watched the sunset and returned. That was it.''

''Well, I think Alondra is under the assumption that he has already chosen you as his One because she has been glaring daggers at you ever since you went on the first date,'' April said, her bright green eyes on Alondra, trying to read her.

At this, Olympia sat up straight, carefully avoiding Alondra's gaze. ''She's scary,'' she muttered.

Rania nodded in agreement. ''Very scary.''

I saw Rowan leaning in, whispering something in Alondra's ear. Alondra seemed about ready to burst with anger. She stood up, straightened her dress and stalked over to Viollca who was sitting in a corner in the far end of the room. The poor girl was so busy drawing that she had no idea that Alondra was approaching, about ready to eat her alive.

She snatched the sheets Viollca was working on off the small desk. The comic book artist finally snapped out of it and looked up to Alondra with a frown on her face. The singer smiled down at her. I had to admit, Alondra was gorgeous. Her facial features seemed perfect and symmetrical, and if it weren't for her personality, she would have been a beautiful person. But she wasn't. She might have been smiling but her ochre brown eyes had a devilish glint to them.

''Such nice materials. I heard the Prince gifted these to you,'' Alondra said, her tone seemingly nice.

Viollca nodded, and I saw her fingers nervously playing with the edge of her dress. We were all staring at the pair, wondering what Alondra was getting at.

''What did you do?'' Alondra asked.

''W-what do you mean?'' Viollca stuttered, unsuccessful at hiding her nerves.

''What I mean is, what did you do to get him to give you a present? Did you sleep with him? Is that it? Did you promise him something? Why would he give a lowly Five like you something?'' Alondra hissed. She looked at the drawings she was holding in her hands and shook her head. ''You're not even good at what you do. These are horrible.'' And with that, she slowly tore up the sheets.

I jumped to my feet and marched over to the two. Viollca had been working on those drawings for hours, if not days. The poor girl was staring at the torn up pieces by Alondra's feet, who was grinning at her disgusting act.

''Why the hell would you do that?!'' I barked, bending down to pick up the pieces. I stood up straight and handed the torn up drawings to Viollca, before turning around to face Alondra. ''Are you that miserable that the Prince hasn't even paid a minute of his attention to you? Must hurt, huh, that girls who are 'lower' than you have had more attention from him?''

Alondra's face contorted in anger, and she opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped by the doors to the Women's Room opening. We all turned around to see Princess Yasmin and Princess Beatrice-Alida entering the room.

''What is going on here?'' Yasmin asked, a smile on her face and a curious look in her blue eyes as she watched me, Alondra and Viollca.

We all quickly curtsied, and Alondra was the first to speak up. ''Oh nothing, Your Highness. We were just helping Lady Viollca here clean up her papers.'' She smiled sweetly, and the Princess nodded, having no reason not to believe her.

I was fuming from the inside, but Viollca looked at me and shook her head. It was no use. Alondra was a famous singer and loved by all. Who would believe us over her?

I rubbed Viollca's arm in an attempt to make things right, and walked back to my place on the couch with the others. Viollca got back to her drawing as if nothing happened, and Alondra went back to her other Plastics.

''So, ladies, are we enjoying ourselves?'' Princess Yasmin asked as she and the English Princess joined me and the others. This was the first time that the Princess had joined us in the Women's Room, and a lot of the Selected seemed excited.

''I, for one, am. This place is amazing,'' Monroe grinned.

Evelaine nodded in agreement, and looked at the English Princess in wonder. ''Excuse me, Your Highness, but I feel like I've seen you before.''

I laughed. ''Well, she is a Princess.''

Evelaine shot me one of her deadpan looks. ''Not like that. I mean, in the Illéan media. More than other Royals.''

The Princess grinned a bit, ''Maybe you remember me from my high-profile relationship with Prince Killian? Oh, and please, you don't have to call me your Highness or Princess. It's Bea.''

Everyone went quiet, and nobody seemed to listen anymore after she casually mentioned her relationship with the Prince. I could see everyone's brain making over hours. The ex of the guy we were pursuing was here?

Bea seemed to sense our reluctance towards her. ''Oh don't worry. I'm not interested in Killian anymore. I'm not here to win him back or anything. He's too much work, I'll leave that up to one of you.''

Princess Yasmin giggled at this, but she seemed to be the only one who found humor in her statement.

Sawyer coughed, seemingly the first one who got over the initial shock. ''Too much work?''

''Oh Bea loves to exaggerate, don't mind her. And you girls can just call me Yasmin. Your Highness is too formal for someone who will be the sister in law of one of you.'' Yasmin smiled, and her sunny disposition made all of us relax.

Yasmin and Bea continued asking us questions about our lives before the Selection, and soon, we were having a lively conversation with the two Princesses. Even The Plastics joined us, and I tried my best not to look disgusted as I watched them suck up to Yasmin.

I watched all the others as they conversed with Yasmin, and I couldn't help but notice some of the admiring looks to her. Rania couldn't seem to keep her eyes off Yasmin's tiara, and the Princess seemed to notice. ''Would you like to try it on?''

Rania looked shocked, and her cheeks grew red as she was caught. She quickly shook her head. ''N-no! I couldn't..''

''Oh, come on! Who knows, maybe you will be the Princess one day. You should at least know how it feels.'' Yasmin was almost bouncing in her chair as she took her tiara off her brown hair. The tiara was silver, adorned with glimmering rhinestones in a floral design and a row of pearls alongside the stones. It looked very expensive and valuable, fit for a Princess.

Yasmin took Rania's hand and dragged her to the nearest mirror, us following in suit. She positioned her in front of the mirror and carefully placed the tiara on Rania's dark brown hair. She enthusiastically clasped her hands together. ''You look beautiful!''

Rania stared at herself in the mirror, and I could see tears forming in her eyes. She had told us about her experiences being bullied, and she always seemed like a very insecure girl. Seeing herself with a tiara on her head had to be emotional for her. She finally smiled, blinking away the tears, and gave Yasmin an appreciative look. ''Thank you.''

Yasmin looked at the rest of us. ''Who else wants to try?''

Nobody dared to speak up, afraid they would be laughed at, but I knew that most of the girls wanted to feel the tiara on their head. Yasmin didn't seem to have the patience to wait and she pulled Aenwyn forward. Another quiet girl. Aenwyn never really socialized with the rest of us, and she liked to keep to herself. She seemed frightened but also excited by Yasmin's enthusiasm, as she also tried on the tiara.

This went on for a few minutes as everyone took a turn. The Plastics, especially Alondra, seemed a bit annoyed at Yasmin but when the tiara was placed on Alondra's head, this immediately disappeared. She smiled, looking like the perfect Princess. She was getting a bit too comfortable for my liking, and I quickly snatched the tiara off her head as it was my turn. This earned me a deadly look by Alondra, but I gladly ignored her.

Yasmin and Bea stayed with us until it was time for everyone to get dressed for dinner. I wasn't looking forward to having to hoist myself in yet another uncomfortable dress, but at least the past hours had been fun.

 **Prince Killian**

I had been in my office for the entire day. Dad was giving me more responsibilities each day, which meant more work. It wasn't too much, as I still had The Selection to focus on, but it was enough to slowly ease me in what soon would be my new position. The King of Illéa.

I stared at our family picture that was positioned on my desk. We looked like such a perfect family. So loving. Dad had his arm wrapped around mom's waist, and they looked completely in love. A couple everyone aspired to be like. But I knew that it was all a show.

 _It was four years ago. I had walked to the stables at a very early hour. The sun hadn't set yet and I couldn't sleep, so I wanted to go riding. I knew no one would be at the stables yet so I could clear my head in peace. Upon entering, I heard faint noises of a woman giggling and a man's low voice. I grew curious and approached the back of the stables, where a blonde woman and a dark haired man were laying in the hay, limbs entangled with one another. When the woman looked up and our eyes met, I realized in shock that it was the Queen of Illéa whose dress was hiked up to her thighs. And her companion wasn't the King._

* * *

 **Dundundunnnn. Yup, so that's what happened in the stables. And you can probably guess, but that's why Killian doesn't believe in true love and why he became such a playboy. I hope it didn't disappoint!**

 **So, the result from the Crowd Favorite poll I put on my profile is the following:**  
 **Number 1: Aenwyn**  
 **Number 2: Monroe, Arizona and April**  
 **Number 3: Rania, Viollca and Olympia**  
 **I refreshed the poll so now you can vote again! Please do so.**

 **Also, I pinned the tiara that went around in this chapter in Yasmin's board, so check that out! I had so much fun writing that little bonding between Yasmin and the Selected. I hope you liked it as well.**

 **Lastly, I have a question for you guys: Would you like to read more about Trismin? I know they're loved so let me know if you want to see more of them!**

 **As always, thank you soooo much for reviewing and thanks for reading!**

 **~wolfofstark**


	14. Like Nobody's Watching

**Prince Killian**

~4 Years Ago~

'' _Killian!''_

 _My mother gathered her skirts and followed me after I practically ran out of the stables. I stopped under the leaves of a giant oak tree and turn around to face her, my skin pale._

'' _I.. I can explain.. Just please listen to me, '' she pleaded. I stared at her, my face hard like stone. She took this as a sign that I wouldn't run away and after making sure that no one was around, she started her story._

'' _First, you have to know that I love your father with all my heart. We're just not in love anymore. After your father chose me as his One, things were good. We were happy. We were the best of friends, worked very well together and were good partners. A few years after being married, we didn't spend much time together anymore due to your father's new duties as King. I was very lonely. We grew apart, never slept in the same room anymore and we stopped being lovers. I.. I sought solace with my horse and spent a lot of times at the stables, which is where I got to know Sam.''_

 _Sam was the stableman, he took care of our horses. My face changed from stone to disgust. I knew the man well, and I couldn't believe that he was the one feeling up my mother._

'' _We spent a lot of time together, talked a lot, and grew closer. He understood me. He took away my loneliness and he listened to me. One day, I realized I had fallen in love with him. And he felt the same way.''_

 _She stepped towards me and took my hands in hers. ''I still love your father. But as my friend and partner. Not like Sam.''_

 _I yanked my hands away from hers, folding my arms in front of my chest. I could barely even look at her, all I saw were those images of her and Sam flashing before my eyes._

'' _Killian..''_

'' _I want him gone.''_

 _Mom's eyes grew wide. ''What?''_

'' _I want him gone. If you don't want me to tell anyone about this, he needs to go. I don't want you cheating on dad anymore.''_

 _Mom was always so composed, so put together, but in that moment, I could see her heart shattering right in front of me._

 _I averted my eyes and turned around, marching back to the palace. True love was a myth._

 _That night, Sam was fired. We never saw him again._

~The Present~

I was sitting at my desk, all the pictures of the Selected sprawled in front of me. The start of the Selection had brought back many unpleasant memories. I couldn't help but think of my mother when I looked at them. She had been a Selected. My father had chosen her and she had betrayed him. What if one of my Selected would do the same? What if I would fall for one of them, marry her and she would betray me as well?

I couldn't take the risk. Love was a lie. My parents had always seemed like the perfect couple, but I had known for the past four years now that it was an act. Mom and I had always been close, and surprisingly, nothing changed after I caught her with Sam. We both pretended that it never happened, which was easy considering I had Sam fired. She pretended that she wasn't hurt, but I knew she was. And I pretended that I wasn't disgusted and that my image of her and love wasn't shattered, but it was. We were both just pretty good at hiding it.

And so the drinking began. And the playing around with girls. I couldn't take them seriously. I couldn't consider them as potential wives, not even potential girlfriends. All I saw were potential betrayals. And now I had fifteen of them, and I had to marry one. How was I going to do this?

I grabbed a small card and envelope from my drawer, and started writing. I had to get through this process, and I couldn't do that without the dating. It was time for my second date, and I had a pretty good idea on who I wanted it to be with.

I called over my butler and handed it to him, gesturing to the name on the envelope so he'd know where to bring it to. I sighed and got back to my paperwork. The Halloween Ball would be in a week, and we had invited the Royals of the German Federation to come stay at the Palace for a few weeks. It was going to be a hectic time.

 **Princess Yasmin**

''Where are we going?''

Tristan had told me to dress casual, and not look like myself, which was hard because all I had were designer clothes. Thankfully, my maid Hailey had some clothes I could borrow from her. When I walked up to our secret meeting spot, which was a big oak tree behind the stables, concealed from view, he looked me up and down and rolled his eyes.

''Is this what you consider casual?''

''I did my very best. Casual doesn't mean not fashionable,'' I replied as I straightened the black hat on my hair. I was wearing black shorts and a white see-through shirt, with a white top underneath. With the hat on my head, no makeup on at all, and big glasses on, I didn't look like a Princess. Which was something I had to get used to.

Tristan sensed my discomfort and pulled me into his arms. ''You look beautiful,'' he said as he leaned down to plant a kiss on my lips.

I smiled up at him, ''You're such a flatterer.''

''As if you don't like getting compliments.''

''You're right, I do,'' I giggled. ''So, where are we going?''

''I want to show you my world for once. Something outside the palace walls.''

My eyes widened in shock. ''We're sneaking out?''

Tristan grinned. ''Yep.''

Anxiety started to creep into me. I had never been outside the palace walls without tons of guards and security.

''Hey. I won't let anyone hurt you. I'm here to protect you,'' Tristan promised as he cupped my face in his hands. ''And besides, I'm positive no one will recognize you. That's what this outfit and the glasses are for.''

He was right. I only ever wore my glasses when it was time to go to bed and my contacts started itching. And I had never shown the outside world what my face looked like without makeup. I looked quite different from my usual princess getup. I looked like a normal girl.

''Okay, okay. But if I start to feel uncomfortable, we're going back.''

Tristan bowed and flashed me a grin. ''As you wish, Your Highness.''

I whacked him on the shoulder before laughing and taking his arm. ''Lead the way.''

Tristan took me out from a back exit that only guards used, and the guard on duty didn't seem to think anything of Tristan taking a girl outside the Palace walls. He probably thought I was a maid who was going on a date with him.

It took me a while to relax, but after a few minutes of walking around the bustling streets of Angeles, I felt the tension in my shoulders slip away. I had never seen Angeles like this. I had never seen any other city like this. When I was there, walking through the streets with security surrounding me, it was always hectic. People would shout our names, take our pictures and push and shove to get closer to us. But now, no one even gave me a second look. I was just a regular girl, walking through the streets with her boyfriend.

Tristan took me to a bar, which apparently was one of his favorite places. It was smoky inside, but it had a rustic feeling to it which I liked. The fact that the place was dark and the lights were dimmed only added to my anonymity.

''I bet you can pick up a lot of girls here,'' I joked as we sat down at a booth in the corner.

''I won't lie, I used to. And all of them had brown hair and blue eyes. Just my type.''

''Ah, just like Lady Monroe. 'Your type of girl', right?'' I asked, trying to hide the jealousy in my voice.

''You are my type of girl, Yas. I was trying to make you jealous. And those girls I used to pick up, well, I tried to make them your replacements. But they came nowhere near you.''

I stared at him, before I broke out in a fit of giggles. ''Wow, I'm so dumb sometimes. How did I not realize it sooner?''

''Beats me,'' Tristan said with a smirk, as he ordered us drinks.

He had just taken a sip of his beer when a loud song started booming from the speakers. He put down his glass, with a bit too much enthusiasm which caused half the content to spill over. ''This is my favorite song! We have to dance.''

I looked at him with a blank expression on my face. ''You want me to dance? In front of all these people?''

''It's not like you've never done that before.''

''That's different. Those were waltzes, foxtrots and what not. Not _this_.''

He rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand, pulling me up. I tried to protest but he was already pulling me forward to the middle of the bar. Tristan wasn't the only one who had the idea of dancing, as other bargoers were letting loose around us. I watched them with fascination and curiosity. They didn't seem to have a care in the world. Most of them seemed of lower castes, which meant their lives weren't that great. But in that moment, it didn't seem to bother them. They didn't seem to think about it. All that was on their mind was this song, this moment, and letting go. And so I did as well. I allowed Tristan to pull me close to him, and we danced.

* * *

 **So yep, Killian is a bit messed up. We'll see if he can be fixed, and who is able to fix him!**

 **Sorry if this chapter is shorter than usual, I just really wanted to do another one on our Prince and Princess. I hope you still liked it!**

 **Like I said in this chapter, the Halloween ball is coming up. The next chapter will be another date, and the chapters after will be the ball. So please send me your characters costumes! And try to be a bit original, hehe. Looking forward to them! You can pin/send them to me via pinterest as well.**

 **Pinterest update:**  
 **\- Princess Yasmin board: Chapter outfit**

 **Oh and please vote on the poll on my profile if you haven't already! It's for the crowd favorite and I've restarted it.**

 **Thanks for reading and for the amazingly sweet reviews!**

 **~wolfofstark**


	15. Cheese and Books

**Prince Killian**

The breeze was playing with my hair was I looked over the rippling waters of the lake. I had sent Arizona a message that I would like it if she could join me for breakfast. I told her I would pick her up and escort her to the site, but I got a message back that she could make her way there herself. And so here I was.

I had opted for something simple, wearing a striped sweater and khaki colored pants. A simple blanket was spread out on the dock, and it was littered with all sorts of breakfast foods.

''That looks good.'' I heard a feminine voice say, and to my surprise Arizona was standing, well, sitting right before the blanket. I quickly hurried to my feet.

''Lady Arizona. I didn't notice you there,'' I said as I approached her and took her hand in mine, placing a kiss on her knuckles.

She was wearing a pastel sleeved dress, with cap sleeves and a fitted bodice that was covered with tiny ruffles and petite flowers of organza and sparkling beads. The skirt of her dress floated down the seat of her wheelchair. At her waist, a matching corsage-style broach was secured. She wore her golden blonde hair down, and she had a gentle smile on her freckled face.

''You look beautiful this morning.''

''Why thankyou. You don't look that bad yourself, although I do feel slightly overdressed,'' she replied.

''You have met my sister, right? You will never be overdressed next to her, what with a tiara plastered on her head all the time.''

Arizona chuckled, ''She is lovely.''

I nodded in agreement, before stretching my arms out to her, preparing to lift her out of her chair. Arizona held up her hand and looked at me, ''What do you think you're doing?''

''Carrying you out of your chair.. so you can sit with me?'' I questioned, a bit anxious that I had done something wrong. I had never dealt with anyone in a wheelchair and I didn't know what to do at all.

Arizona didn't seem to appreciate me just lifting her up without asking. ''Well, don't surprise me like that next time.''

Well, damn. This wasn't a very good start to our date. I felt embarrassed and foolish that I had acted so rashly, as I scooped her out of her chair and down onto the blanket. She seemed discontented that she needed me to help her with that, but what else was I going to do? Let her fall out of her chair and onto the blanket?

I cleared my throat as I started opening up various cheeses. ''May I ask.. What happened to your legs?''

 **Lady Arizona**

I was preparing for him to ask me that question.

I didn't look me in the eye as I spread some cheese on a toast. ''I was eight years old. I was living in a trailer and a few boys in the neighborhood thought it would be funny to light off fireworks near it. I was outside, and one of the fireworks went directly into the grill that was also outside and it blew up. My legs were crushed by a piece of metal flying from it. My legs weren't salvageable so the doctor was forced to amputate.''

''Oh.. I'm so sorry.''

''Don't be. This is who I am now,'' I smiled at him to make him feel more at ease. I could tell that this made him quite uncomfortable. Of course he would be. Look at him. He was a Prince, the Crown Prince, and he lived in a Palace. He had everything he could ever ask for. And here I was. On a date with said Prince. A girl with no legs, an Eight, who lived in a trailer. How was it fair?

I tried to push my feelings of injustice aside as I took a bite of my toast. I was here now, and I was in Killian's Selection. I couldn't hate him just because he was born in Royalty. I had to keep an open mind.

I needed to change the subject. ''Do you have any museums in Angeles?''

Killian gave me a curious look. ''We do, actually. It's the museum of America. It's about the country Illéa was before it, well, became Illéa. Why? Do you like museums?''

I beamed at his question. ''I love museums. I find them so interesting, there's a whole other world to discover, you know? And libraries too.''

He chuckled at my enthusiasm. ''If I had known, I would have taken you there for our first date.''

''Oh, but I love this too. I loved to swim when I was a baby. I still really like being near the water, especially lakes and beaches.''

''Oh really? It's like I'm hearing myself speak. I love the water too. I try to swim every morning before I start the day. The indoor pool was actually built for me,'' he grinned.

Of course. Having a pool built for you was easy as a Prince. I tried to shake the feeling off again, and smiled back at Killian. ''I would love to see it some day.''

''And I would love to take you there.''

We spent the rest of the morning talking as we ate up all the cheeses. I learnt that he didn't exaggerate when he said that he loved the water. He told me about how he dreamt of being a merman when he was a child, and I laughed and told him that I had wanted to be a mermaid.

He cleaned up all the empty packages when we were done, and carried me back to my wheelchair. I saw him look at the handles, and I was certain that he wanted to push me, so I started wheeling myself towards the Palace without waiting for him.

He jogged after me, and slowed his paced when he caught up. ''Eager to get away from me?''

I shook my head, ''No, but I saw the way you were looking. I can wheel myself.''

He grinned as he also shook his head. ''You are quite stubborn.''

''I know,'' I smiled.

Killian's expression suddenly turned serious. ''Before you leave, I have to ask you something.''

I halted my wheelchair, turning around to face him. ''Yes?''

''Is everyone treating you right?'' he asked, trying to hide his obvious concern. It was kind of endearing, but not necessary. I could look out for myself, and it wasn't my place to blab about the other Selected.

''Yes. Everyone is very kind,'' I assured him. He seemed to relax at this and I couldn't help but feel slightly bad for him.

''I hope you enjoyed our morning as much as I did.''

I nodded, ''I did.'' It was nice to know the other side of the Prince, as he seemed a lot more relaxed and sincere when there weren't as many girls around him.

….

 **Lady Aenwyn**

The Prince had asked me to go on a date with him. I knew, from listening in and observing the other Selected's conversations that he had been on a date with Lady Arizona this morning. He took her out to the lake for breakfast, and from his note, he wanted to have a private dinner with me, away from all the others. My maids had immediately pulled me from The Women's Room when they received the note.

''Are you nervous, miss?'' Eisley asked, as she carefully lined my eyes with black eyeliner. I just nodded. Of course I was nervous! Here I was, out of the orphanage where my life had, quite literally, been hell, in a Palace where I fell completely out of place. And now the Prince wanted to dine with me. What would I even say to him? What could we talk about? My hands were trembling slightly as Hylee took my hands and helped me slip on my shoes.

I was dressed in a long, sleeveless blue gown with a tight bodice and bellowing skirt. The bodice was adorned with glimmering, floral details and was sheer on some places at the top. My red hair was curled, a thick braid encircling my head, and the rest of my locks were parted to one side. To top it all off, Beatrice placed a thin flower band just above my braid.

Beatrice smiled, a warm expression on her motherly face, ''Beautiful. He'll love it.''

I managed to give them a small smile, my nerves raking through my body as the clock ticked closer to six. ''Thank you.''

That was when a knock came at the door.

''It's him!'' Eisley yelped. She dashed over to the door, and after glancing behind her to make sure that I was ready, opened it.

''Ladies,'' the Prince smiled as he bowed.

Eisley giggled at this and gestured at me to come closer. ''She's all ready, Your Highness.''

The Prince's light green eyes shifted to me, and his smile grew as he extended his arm to me. ''Lady Aenwyn.''

I managed a somewhat elegant curtsy before taking his arm. ''Your Highness,'' I breathed, still getting used to using my voice. I was mostly very quiet at the orphanage.

It was quite a walk through the grand Palace to get to our destination, which gave me time to observe him. He had changed his clothes from when I saw him at lunch. He was now wearing grey pants, a white and red checkered shirt with a grey tie. Above this he had thrown on a burgundy sweater, making the outfit more casual, but still fitting for a Prince.

He caught me staring at him and chuckled, which made me hastily turn my head as I felt a blush spreading on my cheeks. That was embarrassing.

''We're here.''

I hadn't even realized that we had stopped walking. We were in what seemed to be a salon. The room was nearly half the size of the Dining Room, and against its walls were rows of bookcases. The colors of the room were warm and creamy, with large chandeliers bathing the room in a pleasant light. In the middle of the space was a small round table with two chairs opposing each other.

We sat down and a pair of butlers came in, setting down our plates of food. The smell reached my nose and my stomach started growling. Killian looked a bit startled but then a laugh broke out into his face.

''Hungry?''

I nodded, eagerly watching Killian. I had learnt from Arabella that I couldn't just dive into my food, even though I really wanted to. I had to wait.

Luckily for me, Killian saw my hungry gaze and picked up his utensils. ''Enjoy.''

That was all I needed to hear. I started eating and had to contain myself to not declare my love for this meal. The food at this place was so damn good.

Dinner passed by swiftly and rather quietly. Killian asked me some questions about myself, and I gave him short answers. It was unnerving to have his eyes on me as I ate, I wasn't used to this at all. Dressing up, eating fancy food, 'dating'. He seemed to sense my discomfort and my lack of speaking skills, and gave up after a while.

I set down my dessert fork and sighed in content. Having dinner away from all the Selected girls was actually quite nice. While I didn't have anything against them, it could be quite intimidating and busy.

I let my eyes wander to the bookcases, squinting my eyes and trying to make out the letters on their spines.

''Do you like to read?'' Killian asked.

''I.. can't read.''

 **Prince Killian**

That caught me completely off guard. She couldn't read? I had expected that from an Eight, but she was a Six. But then realization hit me. She was an orphan. And I had heard stories off the orphanages throughout Illéa. They weren't pretty.

I could see her embarrassment at her confession, and I set down my dessert fork as well. ''Come,'' I said as I extended my hand to her. She seemed hesitant to comply, but did so anyway. I walked her to the plush loveseat in the corner of the room. As she took her seat, I scanned the shelves until I found Yasmin's favorite book.

''Ah, Wuthering Heights.'' I grabbed the old, leather bound classic and took my seat next to her. ''This is Yasmin's favorite. She describes it as an 'epic romance'. Seems like a good one to start with.''

She seemed even more nervous as I sat closely next to her, and I did my very best to not come off as intimidating. When I had my date with Olympia, I let the charmer in me through. She was the one who I could easily read, and I knew from the start that she had a crush on me. This one was very different though.

''Start with what?'' Aenwyn asked, a questioning look in her pale turquoise eyes.

I was taken aback a bit as I stared into her eyes. They seemed to be rimmed with gold, which along with her hair color really made her look outstanding. I cleared my throat and sat up straight, tearing my gaze off her eyes.

''I'm going to teach you how to read.''

And so we started. I wasn't a teacher, not by far, but Aenwyn was satisfied with me reading to her. After I read her a chapter, I took a notebook that was sitting on a small desk and wrote out the entire alphabet for her. I showed her which letter was which, and sat back as I watched her study the letters.

She had a slight frown on her face and she bit her lip in concentration. Her pale skin was specked with freckles, which a lot of the Selected seemed to have. I didn't mind, I liked them. I saw her posture relax, probably without her even noticing, and the nerves also seemed to disappear. I was glad that I didn't seem to scare her out of her wits anymore.

She put aside the notebook when she had the letter memorized. ''Can you read some more?''

''Of course,'' I replied as I reached for the book and started the next chapter.

…

It was well over nine when I walked Aenwyn back to her room. I had noticed her growing sleepy after I started the fifth chapter, and I decided to call it a day. She seemed disappointed when I closed the book, but I promised her that we would continue some other day. This earned me a genuine smile in return.

''I had a great night, Aenwyn. I hope you did too.''

She nodded. ''Thank you. For the reading and teaching me. It means a lot.''

I smiled and took her hand in mine. She seemed to flinch, so I quickly dropped it. I had wanted to kiss her knuckles but it didn't seem right now. ''You're very welcome. Sleep well.''

She dropped into a low curtsy. ''You too.'' And with that, Aenwyn turned around and walked back into her room.

* * *

 **So Killian actually went on two dates, yay! I hope you liked them. I switched between the POVs of Killian and the Selected, because I think it's nice to get both of their sides during the date. Did you like it this way or would you rather I stick to one POV?**

 **Both Killian's date outfits and Arizona and Aenwyn's date dresses are on their pinterest boards, so check that out! ALSO I keep forgetting to mention this, I finally settled on a faceclaim for Killian: David Giuntoli (without the beard, haha) and imagine him younger. But yeah, that's what our Killian looks like, you can also see it on his pinterest board.**

 **So the next two chapters will be the Halloween ball. Not everyone has sent me their Halloween outfits yet. Please do, because I'm planning on having Killian interact with each and every girl during the ball. But I can't incorporate your girl if I don't have her outfit.**

 **To everyone who celebrates: Merry Christmas! And to who doesn't: Happy Holidays! I belong to the second group haha.**

 **Thanks for reading as always and keep reviewing!**

 **~wolfofstark**


	16. Halloween Ball - Part One

**Lady Monroe**

The Great Room was decorated in a way that I had never seen before. It was like all the Halloween decorations that existed were put into one place. Back in Paloma, we never celebrated Halloween. It was a poor province, and the children couldn't just go door to door to ask for candy when the citizens didn't even have bread. This made me all the more excited to celebrate Halloween properly.

I adjusted the cowboy, or cowgirl in my case, hat on my head as I walked past the tables filled with all sorts of treats. There were all the candies you can imagine, cakes, three kinds of chocolate fountains and too many more goods to even count. The walls of the room were covered in what looked to be fake cobwebs, and several lanterns were scattered through the room. Instead of the usual orchestra that I imagined would usually provide musical entertainment for Royal balls, there was a DJ blasting out dance music through the speakers. I bopped my head along with the rhythm as I walked to where a group of other Selected where standing.

Rania was dressed in a blue ball gown, adorned with white roses. It was strapless, but she covered up her shoulders with a white, lacey vest. Her hair was curled and half up half down, and blue accessories adorned her wrists and ears. Even her eyelids and nails were painted blue. She had told us that she was going to dress up as Cinderella, and she sure looked the part. She was laughing at something Arizona said, who had on a strapless, blue mermaid gown. Scales covered the hem of the dress, and along with the shells in her blonde braid and the blue makeup on her neck and her eyes, it was obvious that she was dressed as a mermaid.

I smiled as I joined them. ''What's so funny?'' I asked as I reached for a glass of champagne. Rania was just about to tell me as another mermaid dashed towards us, but this one had a crown of shells in her brown hair.

''You're a mermaid too!'' the Princess exclaimed as she excitedly pointed to her purple strapless dress, that also seemed to be covered in scales. Her makeup was more colorful than Arizona's, and she looked as beautiful as she always did.

Arizona nodded and beamed at Yasmin. ''I guess we're matching.''

My eyes scanned the room and my gaze stopped when I saw what was entering. I had just taken a sip, which came out immediately as I sputtered, ''Holy crapshell on a stick.''

My companions followed my gaze, and Rania's olive skin turned into a shade of red. There he was, the Prince of Illéa, without his shirt. He was holding onto a trident, obviously dressed as a seagod. His pants were dark brown, adorned with golden scales, and he had one some sort of shoulder armor, attached with a leather band that was crossed over his chest. Similar looking armor covered his wrists, and that was it. That was all he was wearing. His torso, his _muscular_ torso was completely uncovered. He had a smirk on his face as he looked around, obviously very comfortable with what he was wearing.

I had to admit, the Prince had balls. And I liked it.

''Jeez, Ian,'' I heard Yasmin mutter beside me. ''Excuse me, girls.'' She smiled apologetically at us and sauntered over to her brother. His personal guard, Officer Bates, was following him, who was dressed way more appropriately than his Prince. Officer Bates, or Tristan as he had told us to call him, seemed to be dressed as a Prince. He had on a white costume, with a blue sash swung over his shoulder. Tristan had come up in our conversations several times, and me and the other Selected had concluded that he was quite a sight to look at.

''Well, he's not shy at all, is he?'' Arizona commented, an amused smile playing on her lips.

''Nope! He has the body for it, why not show it off?'' I shrugged as I finally realized I still had some champagne dripping off my chin, and I hastily wiped it away.

The Prince conversed with his sister for a few moments, before walking up to us, leaving his sister with his guard.

''Ladies,'' Killian bowed, the smirk never leaving his face. ''You all look lovely tonight. Let me guess, a cowgirl, a mermaid and a.. princess?''

''I'm Cinderella,'' Rania stated, barely able to make eye contact with the shirtless Prince.

''Ahh, a classic. Well, I hope you enjoy yourselves, and allow me a dance with you later on.''

''Oh, I'm just letting you know, I'll be challenging you to a dance battle. And I'm very, very good.'' I warned him.

Killian's smirk grew broader. ''I can't wait.''

 **Lady Aenwyn**

''Catherine Earnshaw, didn't think I would find you here.''

I turned to find Killian smiling at me, half naked I might add. I had been lingering by the snacks, still too shy to approach the other Selected, even after a few weeks in the Palace.

''I'm glad you recognized the costume. I was afraid it would be a silly idea,'' I admitted. The book he had read to me on our date, 'Wuthering Heights', had been on my mind ever since that night. I couldn't resist dressing up as the heroine.

''Have you even seen my costume?''

I chuckled lightly, which seemed to surprise him. ''What are you even supposed to be?''

''I am Poseidon, God of the Sea,'' he answered in a low voice, while thrusting his trident in the air. All the while keeping a straight face.

''Ah. That's impressive.''

He grinned, and handed his trident to a passing butler. ''Keep this safe for me.'' He turned to the DJ, gave him the thumbs up, before turning back towards me. He bowed, stretching out his hand. ''May I have this dance?''

The music had changed from a booming bass to a slow violin. I carefully took his hand, but I couldn't help the discomfort that flashed on my face. Killian noticed, and his brows furrowed. ''You don't have to if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you.''

''No, I know. Trust me, I want to,'' I smiled at him as the tension slowly left my body. It was a slow process, but every day I was closer to my discomfort when touching him disappearing.

He led me to the dancefloor, and his hands dropped to my waist as he guided me in our dance. I tried to remember our dancing lessons from Miss Arabella, and despite stepping on his toes a few times, it seemed to be going smoothly. I was lost in our movements and the mesmerizing music, and the way his green eyes seemed to look into my soul.

We came to a sudden halt as the song ended, and I couldn't help but feel disappointed. He let go of my waist and bowed again. ''Thank you for doing me the honor of the first dance, Miss Earnshaw.''

He marched over to Rowan, who was glaring daggers at me before Killian had turned to her. She immediately plastered on her best smile as Killian took her with him to the dancefloor. Rowan's costume was as intimidating as her personality. She was wearing a black lace dress that was short in the front and long in the back, with her shoulders exposed and a low neckline. She had on a lacey mask, a glint of victory in her black lined eyes as she was the second girl to dance with Killian. Her hair was in a bun that reflected a cob web. She made a perfect spider.

I walked back to my hiding spot by the snacks, and watched as the other girls started joining Killian and Rowan on the dancefloor, accompanied by guards who were allowed to join the party. I purposely avoided all eye contact, dreading to be asked to dance with one of the guards. I was only planning on letting one man get close to me.

 **Lady April**

I had just finished my dance with the Prince, and was looking at the array of Halloween themed cupcakes with Evelaine and Olympia. ''How can anyone choose? They all look delicious.''

I fiddled with the flowers in my bright red hair, the flower crown adorning it growing quite heavy. I had chosen to dress as Mother Nature herself, and my maids had made me an incredible dress that looked to be made out of a tree. A flower necklace was put around my neck, and with the purple heels that had flowery straps around my legs, they did a great job.

Olympia's Egyptian styled eyes glinted as she looked at the selection of food in front of us. Her eyes were lined with black and gold eyeliner, topped with blue eyeshadow. Golden bracelets were adorning her arms, and they tinkled with every step she took.

''Cleopatra looks like she's going to devour every last cupcake,'' Evelaine joked with her ever present serious expression on her face. She checked if the hairsticks were still pinned into her bun, the ends of the sticks matching the red of her geisha costume.

''I would go with the jack-o-lanterns. The filling is delicious,'' a voice beside us said, and we looked up to see the Prince eyeing the cupcakes. He saw our surprised expressions, and grinned. ''What? Princes eat cupcakes too. And all the dancing is making me crave one.''

I saw Olympia's cheeks flush at the sight of Killian, something I had noticed happened to her every time she saw him. I was sure that she was hiding something about their date, but I wasn't planning on pressing her. If she wanted to tell us, she would.

Evelaine grabbed one of the orange cupcakes, and bit into it. ''Meh. I've had better.''

Killian seemed unsure as to whether Evelaine was joking or not, which was a struggle we all had with her. I noticed that her coffee brown eyes were basically glued to his defined abs. In fact, her gaze had barely left his torso from the moment he stepped in the room. I tried to hide the grin that crept on my face as I realized that Evelaine was pretty much a pervert.

The Prince was about to grab a cupcake for himself when Monroe rushed over to us and yanked his arm. We were all surprised at her boldness, Killian included.

''Are you done with all the slow dances? Because we still have that dance battle.''

Killian grinned and set down the cupcake he was about to bite into. ''Are you sure about this? You have not seen my real skills on the dancefloor.''

''Prince or not, I am going to whipe the floor with you.'' Monroe grinned. I had to give it to the girl, she knew how to have fun. It was something I admired in her.

''Okay, then. If you insist on loosing, let's do it.'' Killian strolled over to the DJ, and the music changed to a fast paced dance song with a heavy bass.

All of us gathered around Monroe and Killian, who were standing across from each other on the dancefloor. The Plastics looked annoyed at the spectacle, probably jealous of Monroe. The rest of us were all giddy and excited though, anxious to see the Crown Prince show off his dance skills.

Monroe started dancing, and to say it was hilarious was an understatement. She clearly didn't give a crap of what anyone thought, and was just having a ball. Killian watched Monroe for a few seconds before he joined, and we erupted into cheers.

Killian moved with such confidence, that even though his moves were dorky, it looked good. His feet were moving on the beat, and his arms were flailing around as well. I looked around at the other girls, and from the expressions on their faces, we were all charmed. It was refreshing to see the Prince letting loose and having a laugh, though it was apparent that he was still trying to impress us. It was working.

Monroe took a break from her dance to pull some of us onto the dancefloor with them, even taking Yasmin's hand and pulling her along. Yasmin was standing with Princess Bea who was dressed as a monarch butterfly, and she laughed as she also pulled her along. Before I knew it, most of us had joined Monroe and Killian, dancing along with them.

* * *

 **So that was part one of the Halloween Ball! There will be a part two, as I really wanted to incorporate all the girls. Don't worry, there's more dates coming after this!**

 **All the costumes are on my pinterest, I made a seperate Halloween board so you can see them in one place. I HOPE YOU ALL WERE ABLE TO HANDLE KILLIAN'S COSTUME. And who caught the subtle couples costume of Trismin? They're basically dressed as Ariel and Prince Eric. Cute, right?**

 **Oh and Killian's dance moves are also pinned to his pinterest board. For those of you who can't access pinterest, just youtube 'tom hiddleston dancing in south korea'. That's basically how I imagine Killian dancing.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had two exams last week, and two more in the coming three weeks, so I don't know when I'll be able to update again but hopefully in a week.**

 **Thanks for reading, let me know what you thought of this chapter and keep reviewing!**

 **~wolfofstark**


	17. Halloween Ball - Part Two

**Hello! This is quicker than expected, but I really wanted to give you guys another chapter as my exams will keep me quite busy. I HAVE PASSED 100 REVIEWS. I can't believe it, I never expected to have this many reviews, especially when I don't even have like 20 chapters up. Thank you guys soooo so much! You're all incredible. Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 **Lady Sawyer **

We were all so tired of dancing in our heels that most of us had chosen to take a break, have a seat and enjoy the snacks. I looked over to the dancefloor to see Killian dancing with Alondra.

''She never gives up, does she?'' Jia quipped from beside me. ''Look at the way she's dancing. And why is her chest always exposed?''

''I guess that's her method of winning his heart. With his nether region.''

''I would be very disappointed if he fell for that.'' Jia answered as she took a sip of her drink.

''Let's hope he won't,'' I said as I took two different drinks and mixed them together, carefully tasting the mixture I had just made.

''Well, Sherlock? Is it any good?''

''Anything I make tastes good,'' I answered with a wink. Jia was referring to my costume. I was dressed as the female version of Sherlock Homes, a fictional detective. My costume consisted of a blazer, a tie, a black skirt and a matching hat and jacket. I even had a fake pipe and a magnifying glass.

Jia looked around at the other tables. Some of us were sitting in groups, but there were a few girls who were sitting alone, like they always did. It was quite a pity. We had tried to approach Maria once, but all she managed was to squeak out a ''Hello'', and that was it. She didn't seem to be welcoming our company, so we just left her alone after that. Maria was dressed quite scandalously for this party though, with a short angel costume that didn't shy away from cleavage. She had matching grey wings, and it seemed like she wasn't the 'traditional' angel, but rather a fallen one. Her make-up matched her costume, with wings drawn under her eyes, reaching the corners of her mouth.

Alicia was the same as Maria, although she seemed more open to making friends. Arizona, the sweetheart, had spoken to her a few times and she said that she was nice enough. She was just not as social as most of us.

And then there was Aenwyn, who was jittery and scared of us. She only seemed to get along with the Prince. He had even asked her for the first dance, so my guess was that the feeling was mutual.

Viollca was an artist, so most of the time she was sitting in the corner of the Women's Room and drawing. We all liked her though, as she was always friendly to us, although she would never join us in our conversations.

And then there were the rest of us, who all got along well with each other and were open and friendly. I looked around at all the girls, and smiled to myself as I now considered most of them as my friends. Accepting the bet from Ivy seemed to be paying off.

''Who's that?'' Jia asked, as she pointed her red covered arm in the direction of a pale haired young man. The man in question was dressed in a Vikings costume, and was dancing with Yasmin. He was holding her rather close to him, and no one seemed to think anything of it.

''That's Prince Oskar of the German Federation. He's Yasmin's fiancé. He has arrived a few days ago and will be staying for a while,'' Evelaine informed us as she joined us at our table.

''Is there anything you don't know?''

''Not much,'' Evelaine boasted.

 **Prince Killian**

I sat with Viollca as she showed me some of her new drawings, which she coincidentally had brought along with her in the pocket of her dress.

''They're really good. I can't wait to read it,'' I grinned as my gaze shifted to the golden crown on her black hair, pulled back into a bun. ''How bold of you to wear a crown, Princess.''

Viollca chuckled, ''Well, an important part of writing is imagining myself in my character's shoes. And what better way to do that than to impersonate our heroine princess?''

''You make a good point there.''

''And besides, don't I look like a total badass?'' she joked as she patted the fake sword that was attached to a leather belt on her hip. She was wearing a long, deep green dress along with a green and blue checkered sort of sash swung across her shoulder. The crown combined with the sword did in fact make her look like a Princess that could fight.

''I wouldn't want to pick a fight with you.''

''Good thinking.''

And in that moment, the alarms went off. A red flashing light illuminated The Great Room, and I saw fear appearing in Viollca's brown eyes. Rebels.

I pulled her to her feet, and to my reassurance, guards were already gathering the girls and pulling their weapons. Viollca got whisked away to a nearby safe room and I looked around, only one thing, or rather one _person_ on my mind.

I rushed over to where Arizona sat in her wheelchair, a panicked expression on her face as she covered her ears to shield herself from the loud noises.

''Arizona!''

She looked up, tears in her hazel eyes.

''Don't hate me for doing this,'' I warned her as I scooped her up in my arms, out of her wheelchair and into the safety of my grip. She started protesting, but I quickly silenced her. ''We have to get you to a safe room, and you can't wheel your chair down the narrow steps.''

She bit her lip and nodded, allowing me to race after the other Selected as they were led out of The Great Room, guards flanking them with their weapons pulled; ready to shoot any rebel that came around the corner.

We made it into the safe room just in time, as I started hearing gunshots going off behind us. I set Arizona down on a chair and she smiled gratefully at me. ''Are you okay?''

She wiped away her tears and nodded, ''I'll be fine. Go check on the others.''

I took her hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze, before turning back to the other girls and making sure they were all okay. Luckily, they had each other for support and most of them were holding onto another Selected, crying silent tears or consoling the other.

I scanned the room and I felt my blood run cold. ''Where is Yasmin?''

 **Officer Tristan Bates**

Yasmin had excused herself from her dance with Prince Oskar, and given me a pointed look before telling him that she ''needed to go to the bathroom''.

She left the room, and I followed close behind. When I rounded the corner, she pulled me into an empty room, before pressing her lips against mine.

''Hello, Prince Eric,'' she whispered against my mouth.

I grinned. ''Hello to you too, Ariel.'' I pulled back to look into her aquamarine eyes, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. ''I hate seeing you with him.''

Yasmin's face fell, the smile disappearing from her face. ''Let's not talk about him right now.''

''So we should just ignore it forever? He's not going anywhere.'' I pulled her hand up so the glimmering diamond ring was shining in the light. The engagement ring she was forced to wear. ''You're bound to him.''

''Tristan, please.. I don't want to talk about this now.'' I could see that I had upset her, and her eyes became watery with tears, but I wasn't done yet.

''Don't you know how much it hurts me to see you two together? He's a Prince, a Crown Prince, and I'm merely a guard. You deserve someone like him. Someone who can give you everything your heart desires, someone who is worthy of you. I'm just a fraud.'' I angrily pulled at the sash that came with my costume, ripping it off and throwing it on the ground.

I had always known that Yasmin was to marry Oskar, but seeing them together was like a slap in my face. It was a reality check. That this _thing_ we had going on between us was hopeless. It would only lead to heartbreak.

Yasmin's tears were now spilling over, and she took a step back. ''You know that I don't love him. I love you.''

''But is that enough?''

She fell silent. She straightened her back and wiped away the tears, smudging her mermaid makeup in the process. ''I'm going back to the party.''

She turned around and opened the door, when the blaring noise of the alarm startled us both.

''Get back here!'' I pulled her back from the door, slamming it close behind her and locking it. I started raking my brains, thinking of the closest safe room, which would have us leave this room and _hopefully_ make it to the end of the hallway, where the secret passageway was located.

I was just about to open the door again when the loud sound of gunshots resonated through the hallway.

Yasmin shrieked and covered her mouth, eyes wide in fear. The rebels were close. Too close for us to leave this room.

I pulled out my gun and grabbed Yasmin by her arm, pulling her with me to the closet that was tucked away in the corner of the room. ''Hide in here.''

''What about you?''

''Don't worry about me, just please, get in,'' I begged as the gunshots started getting closer. She pulled up her skirts and got in the closet, but not before pulling my face to hers and pecking me on the lips. I smiled at her, our argument from before disappearing from my mind as I closed the closet door, praying that no one would find her there.

A loud bang, followed by a scream could be heard from just outside the room. I braced myself, facing the door with my gun pointed at it. I wasn't about to let anyone in.

The doorknob started rattling. Someone was trying to get in. I kept my finger on the trigger, ready to shoot any rebel that tried to get close.

More rattling, until it suddenly came to a stop. I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking they had given up. I was wrong.

Another loud bang and the door came off its hinges. I pulled the trigger and started shooting, without knowledge of whether I was actually hitting someone or not.

The device they had used to blow up the door had created some smoke, which made me unaware of my surroundings. All I could do was pull the trigger and shoot.

I felt a sharp pain in my left leg as something hard crashed into it, throwing me onto the ground. I groaned in agony as a face came into view.

The man grinned, ''Nice try, boy. But we know she's in here.''

I tried to reach for my gun, but he stepped on my hand, crushing it under his filthy boots. ''Don't even try.''

He lifted his hand, and the last thing I remembered was his fist coming into contact with my temple, before everything turned black.

…

''Tristan! Tristan, wake up!''

I groaned as I slowly opened my eyes, eyelids heavy and a throbbing pain in my leg and skull.

As my sight slowly grew less fuzzy, I saw a friendly face standing over me, and I recognized him as my friend and fellow guard, Christopher Adkins. There were tears in his clothes, and he looked as terrible as I felt. What had happened?

I jolted up, the previous events flooding back as I remembered the rebel attack. _Yasmin_.

''Careful, buddy. You have a nasty head wound.'' Chris tried to push me back and force me to lay down, but I shoved him off.

I stood on my feet, despite the protests my head and leg were making. I ignored the blood that was dripping down my leg as my gaze went to the corner of the room, to the closet where I had left Yasmin. The door was wide open, and her shell tiara lay on the floor.

Yasmin was gone.

* * *

 **Okay, please don't hate me for that ending. Part one was so happy and lighthearted and I just threw a rebel attack in your faces. Sorry!**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter regardless and again, thank you so much for all the support!**

 **See you next time.**

 **~wolfofstark**


	18. Broken Dreams and Silent Screams

**Princess Yasmin**

A throbbing pain consumed me. It felt like my head was split into two. And it was cold. Why was it so cold? And why were my hands tied?

''I told you not to hurt her.''

A low voice that I vaguely recognized. Who was this man?

''She kept kicking and screaming. I had to shut her up or we would have been caught. Or she would have hurt me, the girl scratched my face.'' Another voice, also male.

''You deserved it. You were not supposed to hurt her and now she's bleeding.'' The man was clearly in a position of power over the other one, who I had apparently scratched.

Wait, I was bleeding?

I groaned as I slowly opened my eyes. I was in a dimly lit room, with no furniture except for the chair I was on. A tall, broad man was talking to an equally tall, but less broad male by the door.

The broad man looked up, and I recognized him as the rebel who had hauled me out of the closet I was hiding in. I couldn't help a little smile as I saw the three long, ruby lines on his cheek. _Well done, Yas._

A sudden realization hit me as I realized what had actually happened. The rebels had come into the room Tristan and I were hiding in, and knocked him out before taking me with them.

 _Tristan._ I prayed that he was okay, and that he wasn't seriously hurt.

After a nod from the other, the broad rebel left the room, leaving me and the brown haired man alone. He seemed so familiar, but I couldn't remember where I knew him from.

He came closer, a box of medical supplies in his hand as he kneeled in front of me. I squinted my eyes, ''Who are you? I recognize you from somewhere.''

The man seemed surprised, his aquamarine eyes slightly widening as he looked up at me. ''I used to work at the Palace four years ago. I was the stableman. My name is Sam.''

He took out a cloth, wetting it with a bottle of water before reaching his hand towards my face. I jerked backwards, ''Don't touch me.''

''You're bleeding. I need to take care of your wound.''

''Bleeding because of you and your rebels. What's the use of dressing my wound if you're going to kill me anyway?''

''I'm not going to kill you,'' Sam mumbled as he pressed the cloth to my temple.

I hissed in pain, but allowed him to continue. ''Why aren't you going to kill me? Isn't that what you rebels want? Kill all the Royals?''

''You're confusing us with The Forsaken. We are The Idealists, and we don't kill like they do. Our goal is not to decimate the monarchy. We just don't agree with everything. We want change.''

I scoffed, ''So you're saying you're the peaceful group? You still hurt me. And my guard.''

''We try to use as little violence as we can. Sometimes there is no other way. But we never kill.''

''What do you want with me, then? If it's change you're looking for, you got the wrong Royal. I'm merely for show, and to marry off.''

He scratched his beard before putting the final bandage on my head wound. ''Has your brother ever told you about me?''

I shook my head no. What was Killian supposed to tell me about a stableman?

''I'm going to untie your hands now, but you have to promise me not to do anything rash or run away. I have men guarded outside, so it won't be of any use. Understand?''

I nodded, eager to get the painful constraints of my wrists.

He cut the rope and I breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing my swollen wrists. ''Well? Are you going to tell me what this is all about?''

He cleared his throat, bracing himself for what he was about to tell me. ''I'm just going to cut to the chase. Your mother and I had **an** affair while I worked at the Palace. A pretty long one actually, until your brother found out four years ago and got me fired. Getting fired from working for the Royals is a guarantee to become an Eight. No one would employ me. That's when I came across The Idealists. But that's not what I'm trying to tell you. When your mother and I were together.. she became pregnant with you. We had a test done which her maid helped keep secret. Yasmin, I'm your father.''

And then the whole world came crashing down around me.

 **Prince Killian**

''Killian, calm down. They will find her.'' Mom grabbed my arm as we left the safe room, the damages done to the Palace surprisingly small. ''I'm sure she's in another safe room.''

Someone cleared his throat beside us, and we looked up to see Officer Adkins with a solemn look on his face. ''Your Majesty, Your Highness. We have information about the Princess.''

''Well, where is she?'' I asked, growing more impatient by the minute.

''She was taken by the rebels.''

I felt Mom's hand on my arm tighten as she held onto me. ''Taken?''

''She and Officer Bates were hiding in a regular room when the rebels blew up the door and knocked out Officer Bates. They seemed to have been targeting her. When we found him, the Princess was gone. We searched the entire Palace but she's nowhere to be found. We suspect that the rebels have abducted her.''

Abducted. Taken. My little sister, the Princess with a heart of gold, was gone. Taken from her home, where she should have been protected.

Tristan came around the corner, leaning on a fellow guard. He was limping, and the left leg of his pants was caked in blood. He had a similar wound on his head, and his eyes were clouded in sorrow as he looked at me.

He was supposed to protect her, protect us.

I brushed off Mom's hand, leaving her to cry in the arms of my father, and bounded over to Tristan. I saw red as I felt the anger rushing through my veins, all of it directed at my best friend in front of me. I could barely comprehend what I was doing as my fist came in contact with his jaw. He almost went down from the impact, but before he could fall, I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and slammed him into the wall.

''This is all your fault.''

''Killian..'' he started, pain evident on his face. But I didn't care. I couldn't think straight. All I could think about was Yasmin, and what those rebels were going to do to her.

''You were supposed to protect her! That's your job. But instead, you let them take her!''

Officer Adkins stepped up to us, putting his hand on my arm. ''Your Highness, he was outnumbered. They used smoke to -''

''I don't care!" I yelled, forcing Officer Adkins to step back as he saw the rage on my face. I turned back to Tristan. ''If anything happens to her, it will be on you.''

I released my grip on him, turned around and rushed out of the hallway. I ignored the Selected who were all looking at me with shocked faces, my mother who was silently crying and worst of all, my father, whose disappointment in me was evident in his green eyes.

I threw open the door to my room, ignoring all the stares that I got as I bolted through the hallways.

I tore off the armor of my Poseidon costume and threw it at the wall. _Yasmin was gone_. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and I looked like a madman. Knuckles red, hair unruly from the amount of times I raked my hand through it, and my green eyes wide and furious. One of the cuffs was still on my wrist, and I took it off and hurled it at the mirror. As the glass shattered, I let myself sink to the floor as well. _She was gone_.

…

I looked at the night sky, one of Yasmin's tiaras on my lap. I had taken it out of her room as I made my way outside, wanting a piece of her close to me.

I had changed into a sweatshirt and sweats, not caring how I looked. If Yasmin were here, she would make a comment about it, asking me if I was sick. I only ever wore sweats when I didn't feel well, so now was the perfect time.

''They'll find her.''

A voice croaked beside me, and I looked up to see Aenwyn staring at me with her turquoise eyes.

I averted my gaze, turning it back to the stars. ''Or she's already dead.''

The redhead sat beside me on the stone bench, close enough for me to smell her pomegranate perfume, but far enough for our knees not to touch.

''You can't think like that. Everyone is looking for her. She's a Princess, and important people are always found. People actually care about what happens to them.''

''What's that supposed to mean?''

''You know what I mean. If it was someone like me who had gone missing, no one would care,'' she stated.

''I would care.''

We sat in silence for a few moments as Aenwyn shifted in her spot.

''She's really sweet,'' she finally said.

''Who?''

''Yasmin. Most girls in the orphanage thought she would be stuck-up, but she's the complete opposite. She's friendly to all of us, no matter what caste. And she actually tries to get to know us. Her enthusiasm is a bit intimidating at times, but it's admirable.''

I smiled. ''That's Yas.''

She started twirling her red curls, her gaze fixed at the plants in front of us. ''I wish girls in the orphanage were more like her.''

I finally looked away from the twinkling stars above us, my eyes set on the girl beside me. ''Did they do something to you?''

''They mistreated me. Kids can be cruel.'' She kept studying the flowers, carefully avoiding my gaze, which told me enough. She didn't want to elaborate.

''I'm sorry. I hope that's not happening to you in the Palace. No one deserves to be mistreated.''

Her shoulders tensed, but she shook her head and managed a small smile. ''All the girls are kind.''

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. The Selected fighting and mistreating each other was something I definitely didn't want to be dealing with right now.

I looked back at the tiara in my lap. I remembered Yasmin's reaction when my father gave this to her. It had belonged to his sister, our aunt, who had passed away a couple of years ago. According to my father, it had been passed down from mother to daughter for centuries. My aunt was infertile and never had any children, so Yasmin was like the daughter she never had. She made my father promise her that her belongings would be passed down to Yasmin when she died, and so they did.

It was composed of a series of diamond graduating flowerhead clusters, interspersed by cusp motifs of ribbon scroll design, raised on an undulating diamond line frame, mounted in silver and gold. It was one of Yasmin's favorites, and she was so careful with it that she only wore it to special events, preferring to keep it safe in her room.

She would probably kill me if she knew I had taken it from her room, and I chuckled, imagining her reaction. Aenwyn looked at me in surprise, probably thinking that I was going mad again. ''I was just thinking about Yasmin.''

The redhead nodded, looking down at the tiara. ''She certainly has an affinity for tiaras.''

I grinned, ''Yep. You should see her room, she has a lot more.''

''She came into the Women's Room once, and had all of us try on her tiara. It was sweet.''

I turned my eyes back to Aenwyn, eager to hear more about Yasmin's time with them. ''Tell me more.''

And so the orphan continued talking, probably not used to speaking so much, as I still remembered her hoarse voice from when she first came to the Palace. But she continued anyway, taking my mind of the horrors I was imagining happening to Yasmin. If only for a few moments.

* * *

 **I loved your reactions to Yasmin's abduction, it means you actually really care about her! I know she's a very loved character which makes me very happy, that means I'm doing something right. Sorry for continueing the torture, as Yasmin's not ok, Tristan is definitely not ok and Killian is all kinds of messed up too.**

 **Hope you liked the plot twist of Yasmin's parentage and Sam being a rebel leader regardless. Until next time!**

 **Thanks for reading and keep reviewing!**

 **Oh and I want to give a special thanks to Hailey (more. than. just. a. story) who I met on this site and I now talk to every day and see as my little sister, for helping me come up with the names of the two rebel groups and all her other input and support.**

 **~Wolf**


	19. Vanilla Whiskey

**Prince Killian**

It had been a day since Yasmin was missing. 24 hours and still no Yasmin. Her face was plastered on all the television screens, as if the people didn't know who to look for. And I had barely left my room.

A knock came at the door, and Bea peeked her head through, ''Want some company?'' The skin around her hazel eyes was puffy, her blonde hair was a mess and she looked just as bad as I felt. I nodded.

She came in, carrying a plate of the most delicious treat the British had given us; scones. ''I thought you might be hungry, as you skipped breakfast. And I remembered your love for these.''

I took the plate from her, eagerly biting into the puffy pastry. ''Thanks.''

She sat on the bed, sitting across from me, folding her legs beneath her. ''How are you holding up?''

''No news is good news, right? I'm trying to stay positive.''

Bea nodded, ''I'm sure she'll be back before we know it.''

I looked at Bea, just now realizing that she was probably just as worried as I was about her best friend. ''Are you okay?''

She played with the edges of my sheets, before nodding again. ''I guess. I'll be fine when they find her.''

''Me too.''

It had always fascinated me how Bea and Yasmin were such close friends. While Yasmin loved her silky dresses, her shiny jewels and tiaras, Bea loved wearing things that weren't something a Princess would wear. She did love sparkles and standing out, but she would also combine a ball gown with combat boots without a care what anybody might think. That was what had drawn me in. Her free spirit. Bea was rebellious and without a filter, Yasmin was not. But they were both outgoing and charismatic, which was why they also fit so well together.

''Why are you staring at me like that?'' Bea's voice snapped me back to reality.

''I was just thinking how we used to be closer before.. everything happened between us.''

''Well, we did kind of go off the deep end together.''

''I'm not that person anymore.''

''Neither am I.''

I sighed and plopped another scone in my mouth, ''What do you think of the Selected?'' It was hard to focus on the Selection right now, with Yasmin being gone, but I couldn't neglect them either.

Bea shrugged, ''They seem nice. Not all of them though, but most of them seem like good girls. I don't know if you'll find a wife you'll really like though.''

''Why do you say that?''

''I know you, Killian. I know what you like and what you don't like. But I also know what you need. And you don't need another relationship like we had. You need someone who will ground you, someone who can calm you in your worst moments. Like when you punched Tristan.''

I rubbed my face in frustration, ''Yeah, that was bad. I just couldn't think clearly. All I could think about was Yasmin and how he was supposed to protect her.''

''I understand, but you should also explain yourself to the Selected. They saw you attack him. And do they even know about your past issues?''

I crossed my arms in front of my chest, ''No.''

''You should tell them. They have the right to know what kind of person they are possibly marrying. It's not something small.''

''I've had it under control for a year now.''

''And I'm proud of you for that. Really, I am. But that doesn't diminish the fact that they should know.''

I sighed, running my hands through my hair. ''You're right. But first, I'm finishing these scones.''

 **Lady Rania**

Shortly after the attack was over yesterday, a guard had come to my room to inform me that my brother Rehan, another Palace Guard, had been severely wounded in the attack. I had rushed to the Hospital Wing and stayed by his side for as long as they allowed me to. Apparently, he had seen the rebels take away Princess Yasmin and he had tried to stop them. But that didn't end well. He had a bullet lodged into his shoulder that had to be operated on, and the doctor informed me that he would be sent home after the surgery to recover.

I had spent the entire morning with Rehan, before they took him away for surgery.

I was greeted with gloom faces when I walked inside the Women's Room. Everyone was still pretty upset about the attack, some, like myself, even contemplating going home. If the Princess could be taken by the rebels, then why not us? They were supposed to be protected better than we were.

I sat down next to Aenwyn, who was staring intently at a paper scribbled with letters. She looked up, gave me a small smile and focused her attention back on the paper. I looked closely, and realized it was the alphabet. I shrugged, and leaned in closer to Arizona, who was reading a book. ''It's so quiet in here.''

Arizona was about to open her mouth to say something, before Sawyer exclaimed, ''Way too quiet! We need to lighten the mood. I can make drinks.''

Rowan scoffed, looking at her nails, ''Your drinks probably taste like mud water.''

Sawyer stood up, a defiant look in her mismatched eyes, ''Just you wait.''

She dashed out of the Women's Room, and came back with a tray full of bottles and glasses and a grin plastered on her face about ten minutes later. ''It took me some convincing, but one of the maids agreed to help me to the alcohol. I'll show you what I can do. I'll make you my signature drink. Vanilla Whiskey.''

Rowan rolled her eyes, and watched as Sawyer started working on the concoction.

The doors to the Women's Room opened, and a maid peeked her head in. ''The Prince requests to enter.''

Sawyer nodded to the maid. ''Even better, now he can taste my amazing drink as well.''

The maid disappeared, and Killian came into the room. He had thrown on a casual sweater and jeans, clearly not very willing to make an effort. His green eyes looked tired and he had bags under his eyes. But he still managed to plaster a smile on his face, which I found admirable. ''Ladies. I'm sorry for my absence, and I know you must all be frightened because of what happened yesterday. I just want to ensure you that we are doing everything to keep you girls safe and –''

His gaze fell on the tray of alcohol, and his eyes widened. ''What's this?''

Sawyer was just done with her drink, and she extended a glass to the Prince, ''I thought it would be nice to make everyone a drink, since we all need to loosen up a bit.''

His expression hardened, jaw clenched and his eyebrows knitted together. ''You thought it was a good idea to get drunk?'' His voice was surprisingly low.

Sawyer's smile faded, and she didn't seem so sure of her idea anymore. ''Yes..''

''Leave.''

She frowned, ''What?''

''I want you to pack your bags and leave the Palace. You're out of the Selection.'' He turned around, left the room and the doors shut behind him.

Rowan barked out a laugh as soon as the Prince left. ''He made a good choice.''

Sawyer looked about ready to hurl the glass at Rowan's face, but she took a deep breath and set down the whiskey. ''Well.. I guess it's time for me to go.''

 **Lady Evelaine**

The mood at dinner was strange. We had just said goodbye to Sawyer, who the Prince had eliminated very suddenly. I knew no one would admit it, but we are all glad it wasn't one of us. And in a way, this made us closer to finding out who would be the One.

I glanced over at the Prince, who was in an intense conversation with the Queen. I assumed it was about the sudden elimination of Sawyer, and he seemed to be trying to justify his action to her. The Queen put a hand on Killian's arm, and nodded in understanding.

I, like many of the other girls, admired the Queen. Not only was she beautiful, she was classy and charming. She seemed to be the perfect wife and Royal.

My eyes shifted to the Prince, who seemed bothered. He had barely touched his food and was constantly raking his fingers through his brown tresses, something I had noticed he did a lot when something bothered him. He was an interesting man which I would love to discover. For now, he was a closed off book, but worth reading.

I looked at the rest of the Royal's table, and besides the empty chair of Yasmin, the King was also absent from this meal. Perhaps he had a lot of work to do.

When our plates were cleared off and it was time for dessert, Killian cleared his throat. Fourteen heads turned in his direction, and his hands tightened into fists. ''You all must be wondering what happened when I eliminated Lady Sawyer, and I understand. I have some explaining to do.''

He dismissed the staff until it was just us, the Prince and the Queen left in the dining room. His mother squeezed his arm, and he started again. ''My reputation as a 'party prince' is quite known, and my constant partying and.. companionship of different girls was discussed in the media a lot. A year ago, my behavior changed. I..''

He seemed to have difficulties with the next part, but he continued anyway. ''I was on the brink of alcohol poisoning. I wasn't merely drinking for leisure, I was addicted. It got very, very bad. I've been sober for a year now, but I need you girls to know who I am. I am a recovering alcoholic.''

I heard some gasps, but I didn't even bother looking at the other girls' reactions. I was focused on Killian. A weight seemed to have been lifted off his shoulders, and his jaw that was clenched just a few moments ago unclenched.

''I completely understand if you would rather go home after knowing this information. It's hard, and I need my wife to be supportive and deal with this along with me. If you feel like you can't handle this, then I won't hold it against you that you'd rather leave.''

His eyes scanned over the Selected, but no one moved. He smiled. ''Enjoy your dessert, then.''

Everyone hurried out of the room after dinner was finally over, probably eager to discuss what we had just heard. I lingered for a while, until it was just me and Killian who were left.

''Lady Evelaine?''

''I just wanted to let you know that I know how you feel. I myself had a previous addiction to hard liquor as a teen, owed to stress and pressure. I stopped at 15 and became committed to religion. It has helped me deal, and I by no means mean to convert you or push an idea on you, but it might help you as well. Or something else of that sorts. It helps to have something to hold onto.''

His smile turned into a genuine one, the first one I had seen this day. ''That's very considerate of you.''

''Well,'' I curtsied, ''have a good night, Prince Killian.'' I turned to leave the room, but his hand on my arm made me stop and turn back.

''Would you like to go on a date tomorrow? I could really use the distraction.''

I smiled, ''I would love to.''

* * *

 **Yesss, I'm finally done with exams! And I have the rest of the week off so I'll try to update more this week.  
So yep, first elimination has taken place. I thought it was about time, haha. I just want to say that I love all the girls that were submitted to me and are in this Selection, and it's gonna be very very hard for me to eliminate more. Just know that if I do, I did it because I feel like she won't fit with Killian. **

**A few questions:**

 **\- Which of the girls do you think fits best with Killian?  
\- Who would you like to see in the Elite (top five)?  
\- Do you think Killian acted rashly and irrationally in eliminating Sawyer?**

 **I hope you liked the chapter, thanks so much for your lovely reviews as always and thanks for reading! Keep reviewing!**

 **~Wolf**


	20. Heavenly Cake

**Lady Jia**

The garden was the only place in this busy Palace that I could clear my head. So much had been going on. A rebel attack had happened, the Princess was kidnapped, the Prince was a recovering alcoholic and Sawyer was eliminated in a rather abrupt way. And all the while I still hadn't really felt a connection with Killian. We hadn't been on a date yet, but we had interacted, and I just didn't feel it. He was attractive, sure, and very bold and fiery, just like me, but I believed a connection should be natural, not forced. And we hadn't had that connection. Not yet at least.

I turned the corner to find myself in a secluded area of the Palace garden. On a bench sat the German Prince, his bleached hair shining in the sunlight. He looked up, noticing the sound my horrid heels made.

I quickly curtsied to the best of my abilities, and Oskar stood up and bowed.

''Your Highness,'' I breathed, just now noticing how striking his pale blue eyes were.

He smiled, and extended his hand to me. ''I don't believe we've met yet?'' He had an accent when he spoke English, and it was charming in a way.

I took his hand and shook it, ''Well, I know who you are. My name is Jia. But please don't call me lady, that's not who I am, at all. I'm just a firefighter who got Selected.''

''A firefighter? That's interesting. Will you have a seat with me?''

I nodded, taking a seat beside him on the stone bench. I couldn't help but gaze at his hair in wonder, a Crown Prince with bleached hair?

He saw me staring and chuckled. ''You're probably wondering why I have bleached hair?''

I grinned, ''You caught me.''

''Let's just say that like Killian, I had a rebellious phase as well. His involved partying, mine involved dying my hair. Sounds boring compared to him, huh?''

''It also sounds a lot safer.''

That earned me a smirk. ''That's true.''

''How are you dealing with the Yasmin situation?''

Oskar's face fell, his smile fading as he looked at the bright blue sky. ''I'm worried about her. I try not to think about what those rebels could be doing to her, and hope she comes back quickly. But it makes me feel useless, because that is all I can do. Hope and wait around.''

I nodded, ''That must be difficult.''

He didn't reply, he just kept staring at the sky, as if the answer to finding Yasmin was written there.

''Do you love her?'' The moment that question slipped out of my mouth, I regretted it. I had always been bad with knowing boundaries, but this time I had really crossed a line. He was a Prince, a Crown Prince, and I just asked him if he loved his fiancée, our Princess.

His head turned my way, a blank expression on his face, before his mouth curved into a smile. ''You really are something. I've never had someone ask me a question like that on our first meeting, not even reporters.'' His eyes narrowed. ''You're not a reporter, posing as a firefighter turned Selected, are you?''

I laughed and shook my head. ''No, I'm just a girl who's bad with etiquette and knows no boundaries.''

''Arabella would be disappointed in you.''

My eyes widened at the thought of our Royal planner and the scolding I would get if she heard about this. ''Please don't tell her. Don't tell anyone, for that matter.'' I hid my face in my hands and mumbled, ''I've completely embarrassed myself.''

Oskar laughed warmly, amused by the situation. ''I won't tell anyone. It will be our little secret.''

I peeked up at him, and shot him a grateful look. ''Thank you.''

Oskar stood up and held out his arm, ''Care to join me for a walk?''

I nodded and rose to my feet, smoothing the skirt of my dress as I took his arm. ''That would be an honor.''

 **Lady Evelaine**

My maids were even more excited than I was for my date with the Prince, if that was even possible. They bustled around me, pulling out a coral colored day dress, as our date would take place during the afternoon. It was long at the back and short at the front, ending well above my knees, and tucked in the middle to emphasize my small waist.

My golden blonde hair, which was naturally curly and didn't need much work, was braided around my head in a waterfall braid. An elegant and delicate peach blush flower headband was carefully placed on my head, and I smiled as I looked into the mirror. It was made of little bunches of resin clover flowers and weaved with crystals and pearls. It made me feel like a Princess.

Regal placed a pot of expensive looking hand crème on my vanity, and I gave her a questioning look. ''For your hands.''

I looked at my hands, the one thing I was embarrassed about. They were calloused and rough to the touch, and they definitely needed to be softened up. I grabbed the crème and gently applied it on my hands, as Regal's twin sister, Imperial, held up a pair of gold cuffs. ''How are these?''

''Perfect,'' I nodded as I took them from her hands and fastened them on my arms. I tried to tend to myself as much as I could, as I believed I didn't necessarily need maids. I needed company, and they were great at providing me exactly that.

I gazed at Desiree as she did my makeup. Desiree was absolutely gorgeous, as were my other two maids. She had fiery red hair and a build so curvaceous it made me jealous. I used to have a natural C-cup I was proud of, but after the accident, I was forced to receive B-cups. It caused me great insecurity, and I often regarded Desiree with envy. But that envy never made me act vicious in any way. If anything, I admired her. And she could work wonders with makeup. She applied a heavy wing to my eyes, a light eyeshadow and left my lips in a nude color.

I rose to my feet and stepped inside the golden gladiator-style heels I had chosen. Imperial spritzed some of my vanilla perfume on me and beamed. ''All done! You look amazing. The Prince will be so impressed by you.''

''I hope he won't just be impressed by my surface,'' I told her as I looked over the note Killian had sent to my room this morning. I was supposed to meet him in the kitchens.

After my maids had given me directions on how to get there, I arrived just in time for our date. The cooks directed me to the back of the kitchen, where I found Killian waiting. He looked simple yet dashing, in a nautical striped sweater and white pants. Wrong choice on the pants, those were going to get dirty. _God, why did I always sound like a pervert?_

He gently took my hand and pressed a kiss to my knuckles, and I thanked God for the fast working hand crème, and hoped my skin had absorbed it so he didn't have a weird artificial taste in his mouth. If he did, his face didn't betray it, and I felt myself relaxing.

He smiled, ''Lady Evelaine, thank you for agreeing to join me in the kitchens on this lovely day. I hope you won't mind that we're spending our date indoors.''

I shook my head, ''First of all, you don't have to call me 'Lady', Elaine will do just fine. And I don't mind being here at all. But if I may ask, why did you pick the kitchens?''

''I read on your form that you love baking, and I love sweets.'' He grinned. ''So I thought, why not bake something together?''

My whole face lit up at that idea. Next to writing, baking was my favorite hobby. And I was pretty damn good at it. ''Sounds great. Do you know how to bake?''

He grinned sheepishly, ''Not really. But you can teach me.''

''Oh what an honor it would be to teach the Crown Prince how to bake,'' I joked, and I started rummaging through the utensils.

''So what are we making?'' Killian asked as he rolled up his sleeves.

''A peanut butter cookie dough brownie layer cake.''

His jaw dropped, ''Are you just summing up flavors or is that a real cake?''

''It's a real cake, and it tastes like heaven. Layers of brownie and peanut butter cookie dough are layered together and topped with chocolate ganache and a touch of peanut butter icing.''

''That does sound heavenly. Let's hope I won't mess it up,'' he grinned.

''Not on my watch.''

I gave Killian some small tasks to do and started on the cake. It had a lot of elements and would take quite some time, which is why I had chosen this cake. I wanted as much time with the Prince as I could, as he had really sparked my interest and I was eager to get to know him.

''So what made you turn to drinking?''

His question surprised me, so early on in the date, but then again, he had opened up to us last night about his alcohol abuse.

''Stress and pressure. I'm not proud to admit it, but it was not uncommon to see me drink just about any grown man under the table just to ruin his pride in my past years as a teen. I decided it was best to stop when I was fifteen, because it might ruin my health and my brother would kill me if he found out.'' I smiled fondly as I thought of my brother.

''Stress from what?''

I poured the batter in three pans. ''My mother isn't very supportive of my career and aspirations. She thinks I should have more interest in beauty than books. There has been an incident in which she has burned my entire novelty collection.''

Killian gave me a sympathetic look. ''That sounds awful.''

I nodded, ''But luckily for me, I had my great-grandmother and brother. He really is my best friend, and raised me more than my mother ever could.''

He smiled, his thoughts probably going to his sister. ''It's great that you have such a good bond with him. Siblings are important.''

''If you are as lucky as us to have such great siblings.''

He chuckled. ''That's true.''

''What about you? Why did you start drinking?''

He hesitated for a moment, his expression closing up. ''I'm the Crown Prince, and I will follow in the footsteps of a great King. Isn't that reason enough?''

I nodded thoughtfully. ''That must give you a lot of pressure.''

''It does. And with half the country not believing in me, it doesn't exactly make things easier for me.''

I looked at him, reaching out and gently touching his arm. ''Then prove them wrong. I believe you will become well-loved within the whole nation.''

His green eyes gazed intently at me, and I felt it. A spark between us. I took my hand off his arm and plopped the pans inside the oven. ''And now we wait.''

We took a seat near the oven, a cook bringing over refreshments, and continued talking. He told me about his childhood and the fun he had with Yasmin, and in turn I told him about the hideout Demic and I shared in our attic. For some reason, everything felt natural between us. I didn't have to think about what I was going to say, and our conversations flowed smoothly without me having to try.

Time had gone by fast, and before I knew it, the timer went off, signaling that our cake was done. I added the final icing and placed the cake in the refrigerator. I turned to find Killian with an adorable pout on his face. ''I thought the cake was done.''

I smiled and took my seat next to him. ''Not yet. It tastes better when it's cold.''

He leaned back in his chair, looking like a child who had just gotten his candy taken away from him. ''Fine, I'll wait.''

After a while, another timer began ringing, and it was time for us to finally taste our cake. I neatly cut it into pieces, setting down a plate for me and Killian. ''Bon appetit.''

He dove into the cake, and he groaned in satisfaction as he stuffed his mouth. ''This is delicious.''

''Told you it would taste like heaven,'' I replied as I also took a bite. I was right, it tasted good. Beyond good actually.

Killian was just about to cut himself another piece, when we heard a lot of bustling and moving around outside the kitchen doors. Someone was yelling, and my blood ran cold, afraid it was another rebel attack.

A guard threw open the door. ''Princess Yasmin is back!''

* * *

 **I was really hoping to update more this past week, but my brain was just way too tired after exams I guess. But here's another chapter! I hope you liked it. Also, I'm glad all of you supported Killian's decision in the previous chapter regarding the elimination. Oh and Oskar's faceclaim is Lucky Blue Smith.**

 **Questions:** **  
**- **What did you think of Jia and Oskar's encounter?  
\- Did you like Evelaine's date with Killian, and those two together?  
\- Are you glad Yasmin is back?**

 **Evelaine's pinterest is updated with her date outfits, and I also pinned the cake and Killian's date outfit to his board.**

 **Thanks for reading and keep reviewing!**

 **Love,**  
 **Wolf**


	21. Midnight Hours

**Princess Yasmin**

Money. That's what my supposed biological father traded me for, and that was the reason why he took me. So he could get money in exchange for me, the Princess.

They had treated me well. They gave me new clothes, as the place they kept me at wasn't heated, and they fed me with the little food they had. I could tell that they didn't have a lot of provisions or means to get by. He told me. He told me about all the children they had living with them, all the mouths they had to feed and what little the monarchy did to help the lower castes. But I couldn't listen to him. All I could think about was the first thing he told me. _I'm your father._ I wasn't a Princess. Dad, the man I could always run to with my problems, the man who had loved and cherished me my whole life wasn't even my father. And worst of all, Mom knew. She knew and she hid this from me. Not only did she keep a secret for me, but Killian as well. He knew about Mom and Sam and he had him fired, and kept it from me.

I didn't know what happened. One moment, I was eating soup Sam had given me, and before I knew it my vision blurred and my world turned black. When I opened my eyes again, I was laying in the grass, surrounded by guards. The rebels had dropped me in the middle of the Palace forest, so I wouldn't be able to betray their location. The guards told me the money was transferred to an untraceable bank account. The amount that the rebels asked for made my head spin.

I was escorted back into the Palace, and my head never stopped spinning. The sight of the sparkling chandeliers and the painting of the Royal families would always set my heart at ease, but this time, I felt like an imposter. I didn't belong here. I wasn't a real Princess. I was an illegitimate child, wearing a false title and false crowns.

I heard a door slamming open, and Killian came bolting out of the kitchen, Lady Evelaine right behind him. His face lit up when he saw me, but I avoided his gaze. I began running, my feet drumming on the marble floors. I ran past Killian, past my mother and into the open arms of my father. I embraced him tightly, as if she was holding onto my lifeline.

Dad gently cupped my face in his hands, his green eyes examining me for any possible injuries. ''Are you okay? Did they hurt you?''

I shook my head and smiled. ''I'm okay, daddy. Nothing happened. They just kept me in a room until they received the money.''

He brushed back my hair, revealing the bandage on my forehead. ''Then what's this?''

I winced at the memory. ''The rebels had to knock me out when they took me because I was struggling so much. Don't worry, you should have seen the other guy.''

Dad chuckled, and pulled me closer to him. ''They're never going to hurt you again. I will make sure of it.''

Killian carefully approached us, unsure of why I had ignored him until now. ''Welcome back, Yas.''

Dad let me go, allowing Killian to pull me into a hug I didn't return. ''Thanks.''

I could see the hurt in Killian's eyes, but I wasn't about to elaborate. I was exhausted. ''I want to sleep.''

Dad nodded, and ordered the guards to escort me to my room. He told everyone to let me rest, and to have the questions wait until I was ready to answer them.

I saw my mother walking towards me, and before she could reach me, I turned my back on her and quickly walked up the grand stairs.

…

I couldn't sleep. How was I supposed to sleep? I kept thinking about Sam, but most importantly, Tristan. Where was he? Why hadn't I seen him yet?

I moved restless in my bed, before I huffed and pushed away the blankets. ''Hailey?'' I called.

Hailey peeked her head in from the door. ''Yes, Yasmin?''

''Could you please find Officer Bates for me and send him to my room? I need to speak to him regarding the rebel attack.''

''Of course.'' Hailey nodded and softly closed the door, leaving me alone to my thoughts.

I jumped out of my bed when I heard a knock on my door. I ran as fast as my feet could carry me, nearly pulling the door of its hinges. Tristan opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, I had pulled him inside and claimed his lips with mine.

He wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling me closer as he used his foot to shut the door. I lost myself in our kiss, every bad thought leaving my brain like it had never been there.

Tristan pulled back, looking at me with love filled eyes. ''Are you okay?''

''I'm fine. Nothing happened to me. But what happened to you? Who did this?'' I gently touched the colored marks in his face. He looked like he'd been through hell.

''The rebels. And this one belongs to your brother.'' He pointed at the mark on his jaw.

''Killian? Why would he do that?''

''He blamed me for the rebels taking you. And he was right. I was supposed to protect you. You were supposed to be safe with me and I failed. I'm so sorry, Yasmin. You don't know how much I've been beating myself up about this. '' Sadness clouded his features.

''Don't say that. You have nothing to apologize for, you did what you could. It never even occurred to me to blame you for this.''

Tristan smiled. ''You're amazing, you know that right? I love you.''

I pecked him on his lips, our argument before the attack long forgotten. ''I love you too.''

He sat down on my bed, pulling me down into his lap. ''So, are you going to talk about what happened there?''

I rested my head against his chest, the feeling of safety slowly returning. ''No,'' I whispered. ''Not yet.''

Tristan didn't say anything; he just pressed a kiss on my head and lovingly caressed my hair. ''Take your time.''

 **Prince Oskar**

Yasmin was back, back in the safety of the Palace, back with her soon-to-be husband. But why wasn't I happy? Of course I was relieved that nothing bad had happened to her, and of course I cared about her, but I wasn't happy. Was it that bad of me that a small part of me hoped this would be the end of our engagement? _Of course that's bad._

I needed to clear my head of these horrible thoughts, so I headed to the stables. The moon was shining, high in the sky, as it was quite late. Which why I was even more surprised to find Jia sitting under an oak tree.

''Hey there.''

Jia looked at me with those doe-shaped eyes, her mouth curving into a smile. ''Hey.''

I sat down next to her, stretching my long legs out in front of me. ''It's a beautiful night.''

Jia nodded. ''It is. The moon looks beautiful and your fiancé is back.''

My fiancé. A subject I'd rather avoid, but I forced a smile anyway. ''Yeah.''

''So, why aren't you with her?''

''She's resting. I was actually heading to the stables. Would you like to join me?''

She laughed. ''I've never even sat on a horse. I can't ride.''

I jumped to my feet, extending my hand to her. ''That's not a problem. Come.''

Jia shook her head, but she couldn't hide the smile on her face as she took my hand. ''You don't give up, do you?''

I grinned as I pulled her to her feet. ''Nope.''

She stood close, dangerously close. She had to crane her neck to look at me, as she was a lot shorter than I was. The moon shone its light on her face, and for the first time, I really saw her eyes. And they were beautiful. They were light gray, with a darker gray rim, but that's not what made them so special. In this particular light, it looked like there were faint silver streaks in them.

''Du hast wunderschöne Augen.''

She scrunched up her nose in confusion. ''What did you just say?'' I shrugged, and she gave me a light shove. ''It better not be an insult.''

I laughed and pulled her along to the stables. ''Look it up. You might learn something new.''

''Oh I will definitely look it up. I will also look up additional German swearwords in case it was an insult. I will prepare myself.''

I grinned as I took out a gray Camargue Horse, the one I always rode when I was in Illéa. ''This is Storm. Storm, this is Jia.''

Jia bowed, a serious expression on her face. ''It's an honor to meet you, Storm.''

I saddled Storm and turned to Jia. ''Are you ready?''

''I guess..'' she said. I put my hands on her waist, and before she could protest, lifted her up into the saddle. I joined her on the horse and sat behind her, taking the reins in my hands. We were close, very close, as her back was pressed against my chest.

''Okay, I didn't think you had this in mind,'' Jia joked.

''Well, you can't ride, so this is the only way. Hold on tight.'' I led Storm out of the stables and picked up speed when we hit the fresh air. Jia and I disappeared into the forest, the moon guiding us with its light.

 **Lady Aenwyn**

'' _She's a witch!''_

'' _Burn her!''_

'' _Throw her into the water! We have to drown her!''_

I woke up with a jolt, my nightgown drenched in sweat and my face wet with tears. Another nightmare. While they had been less frequent since I arrived at the Palace and escaped the hellish orphanage, they were still present. The sadistic laughter of the children was still ringing in my ears. I needed some fresh air.

I grabbed my robe, putting it on as I left my room. The guard at my door immediately stopped me.

''I'm sorry, but you can't leave your room at this hour.''

My shoulders slumped, and I heard the laughter again. ''Please, I just need some fresh air. I won't be long, just a few minutes.''

''I'm sorry, but you can't. It's too – ''

''I'll accompany her.''

Killian walked up to us, a reassuring smile on his face as he spoke to the guard. ''She'll be with me. I'll accompany her and bring her back to her room.''

The guard immediately bowed at the sight of the Prince. ''Yes, Your Highness.''

Killian offered me his arm. ''Shall we?''

I gladly took his arm, and we walked down the hallway in silence.

''Are you okay?''

I looked at him, eyebrows drawn together. ''Why do you ask?''

''Your eyes are red and swollen. It looks like you've been crying.''

I averted my gaze, my hair shielding my face from his peering eyes. ''It's nothing.''

''You're a bad liar.''

''It was just a nightmare. It happens all the time.''

Killian stopped in his tracks. He brushed the hair out of my face, forcing me to look at him. ''It shouldn't happen at all. What are they about?''

I bit my lip as I felt the tears welling in my eyes. ''The orphanage.''

His face softened. ''Aenwyn.. what happened there?''

I gazed at him, his concern confusing me. No one had ever cared about what happened to me, whether I was hurt or not, and here was the Crown Prince, clearly worried about me. Me. A broken girl. Could it be that he cared for me? Was that even possible?

The thought alone about having someone care enough to ask what's wrong was too much. My tears threatened to spill and I couldn't stop them as they slowly ran down my cheeks.

He softly wiped away the tears, and frowned. ''I'm sorry I asked. I understand you're not ready to talk about it yet. Just please don't cry.''

I chuckled as I saw the panic in his eyes at him making me cry. ''I'm glad you asked. I hope I'll be able to tell you soon.''

''I hope so too.''

He smiled, and he looked so hopeful and sincere that I couldn't help smiling back at him. His hand was still on my cheek, lightly caressing it, and his other hand dropped down to my waist, pulling me closer. He came closer, and I couldn't move. Taking a chance, he closed the distance between us and softly pressed his lips to mine.

I froze, unable to move for a second, before I pulled back and stared at him. He dropped his arms to his side and ran his hand through his hair. ''I'm sorry. That was a dick move. I'm so sorry, I was reading into it wrong. Damn, I suck.''

I blushed furiously, my lips still tingling from his touch. I kept my eyes at the ground, unable to look at him as I stuttered, ''No, it's fine. Don't apologize. I.. I just wasn't expecting that.'' I gazed up at him. ''And it was my first.''

Killian let out an exasperated sigh as he smacked his forehead. ''I'm such a dick!''

''Please, don't worry about it. You didn't offend me. I.. didn't dislike it.''

He let out of a sigh of relief. ''So you don't hate me?''

''Of course not. Now, would you walk me back to my room?''

He nodded and we started our way back. ''You really don't hate me?''

''I will if you keep asking me this question.''

He smirked. ''Then I will shut up.''

* * *

 **Trismin's back! Of course I couldn't let our favorite couple get seperated for too long. I hope you liked their little reunion and of course the rest of the chapter. For once, I don't really have much else to say here so,**

 **Thanks for reading and keep reviewing!**

 **Love,  
** **Wolf**


	22. Spilled Secrets

**Prince Killian**

Everything had returned to normal. Or so it seemed. Yasmin was back, although she was still hiding out in her room. I still hadn't spoken to Tristan and we were both avoiding each other like the plague. And last night, I had scared one of my Selected girls by kissing her.

I had never been in love. I didn't know what it felt like, so for me to find out, this was the way. It might be unfair of me to go around kissing the girls, but then again, it wasn't, because they knew this was a competition for my heart. For my love. They should know that I'm going to kiss more than one girl.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair as I looked at the pictures of all the Selected that Yasmin had hung on my wall, at the beginning when the Selection was just starting. So far, only one girl had been eliminated, and there were fourteen girls left. I had a long way to go, and not much time left, so I had to move a lot faster.

Dad's condition had worsened in the time that Yasmin was taken, but now that she was back, he seemed to perk up again. Regardless, he still had a limited time left, and I needed him to be there when I made my choice. I felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness run through me but I pushed it away, as I always did when the thought of his fate entered my mind. It was hard to deal with, and I still didn't know how.

I studied all the pictures. Up until this moment, there were three girls I felt a genuine connection with, and who were at the top of my list. I smiled as I looked at the faces of the two blondes and the redhead. Arizona, Evelaine and Aenwyn.

While Arizona was difficult to get through, and didn't seem to like me as much as the rest, I admired her fierce independence deeply. There was something about her that made me want to get to know her more, and break down the walls she had built around her. And I couldn't deny that she was an absolute sweetheart.

Aenwyn had built a fort around herself as well, but I was breaking it down one stone at a time. She was more inclined towards me than Arizona, and she made me feel at ease. While our kiss was awkward, and had shocked her, it had made a shiver run down my spine.

I felt a connection to Evelaine that none of the other girls could provide me with. Like me, she had also had her struggles with substance addiction, and like me, she had overcome it. Our date was cut short by Yasmin's return, but I was already looking forward to spending more time with her.

My gaze shifted to Viollca's picture, and I couldn't stop help the smile that formed on my face. Viollca was very different from all the other girls, and I genuinely liked her. Talking to her brought out my carefree side, and she continuously managed to make me laugh. I didn't know if there was romance in our future, but I was definitely keeping her around.

My first date had been with Olympia, as well as the first kiss of the Selection. She was a sweet girl and the only one who actually entered for me. She never specified this, but it was easy to guess. I knew how to pick up on signs of a girl liking me, and her cheeks reddened whenever I was near her. I thought I liked her, but my kiss with Aenwyn felt so different, that I now realized that I probably just liked her because she liked me. Was that bad of me? Probably.

I sighed as I looked at all the other girls I still hadn't been on a date with yet. It was time for me to plan another date, and this time I would take a group, as the clock was ticking. Another elimination had to take place soon.

A bitter thought crossed my mind as I turned my back on the wall of pictures. Regardless of my feelings towards the girls, they could still turn out to be like my mother. The one I would choose could still betray me after we were married. My heart was locked in a cage, and I didn't know if I had it in me to give someone else the key.

 **Princess Yasmin**

''Yasmin, Prince Killian is here to see you.''

I looked up from my sketches as I sat on my bed, legs folded underneath me. I had been avoiding him long enough, and it was time to talk. ''Let him in.''

Hailey opened the door to let Killian in, and I inwardly rolled my eyes as she practically melted in a puddle when Killian smiled at her. She blushed and curtsied, leaving the room.

I closed my sketchbook, looking at Killian with a hard expression on my face. ''You lied to me.''

Killian frowned as he sat down across from me. ''Lied about what?''

''Sam.''

His face went blank. ''How do you know about Sam?''

And I told him. I told him how the rebels took me, I told him about Sam and the fact that he was The Idealists' leader, about our mother's affair, but I didn't tell him that I was born out of it. Not yet.

''So, why didn't you tell me about Sam?''

He ran both hands through his hair, which was a sign that he was extremely anxious. ''You always had such a romantic and idealistic view of love. Mom and Dad's relationship was perfect in your eyes. You always talked about how you wanted your marriage to be like theirs. I guess I didn't want to ruin your image of love. I didn't want you to turn out bitter and pessimistic like I am now. I'm sorry, Yas. I was trying to protect you. I never meant to hurt you, I was trying to keep you from getting hurt.''

My eyes softened, and I reached for his hands. Here I was, thinking about myself, while he had been carrying this in his heart for four years. It dawned on me that it was around the same time he started drinking and acting out, and now I knew why. ''Just promise me you're never going to keep a secret from me anymore. You and I don't keep secrets from each other.''

He smiled and his shoulders relaxed. ''I won't. I learned my lesson. But we have to tell Dad and the council about this. If Sam is the rebel leader, that also means he has it out for me. This is valuable information.''

''There's something else..''

A concerned look appeared in his eyes. ''Tell me.''

''He kidnapped me for a reason. When he and Mom were having an affair.. she got pregnant. With me. He's my father.''

I saw the color draining out of his face as he quietly listened to what I had to say. He opened his mouth, ready to say something, before he closed it again. He was at a loss for words.

My eyes welled with tears as I watched the wheels turn in his head. He saw the tears threatening to spill over, and pulled me in for a hug. ''This doesn't change anything, you know that right? I'm still your brother, and no matter what your DNA says, Dad is still your father. Don't ever doubt that. We are your family and you are the Princess of Illéa.''

I sniffed as I let the tears fall. ''No, I'm not. I'm a fraud.''

Killian pulled away, holding me at arms-length to look me in the eyes. ''Don't say that, Yas. The whole country loves you. You are more loved than I am. Everyone thinks you are the perfect Princess, which you are. Your parentage doesn't change that. No one has to find out.''

I nodded and wiped away my tears. ''Promise me you won't tell anyone. Not even Dad.''

''Are you sure you don't want to tell him?''

''He doesn't have a lot of time with us left. I don't want to hurt him more than he already he is. There's no use in telling him. It would only pain him, and I don't want him to.. die like that.'' My voice broke at the mention of him dying, and I swallowed as I tried to keep the tears at bay.

Killian nodded and stroked my cheek with his thumb. ''If that's what you want.''

''You can't tell Tristan either.''

He sat up straight and crossed his arms. ''That won't be a problem. We're not exactly on speaking terms.''

''Why haven't you apologized yet?''

Killian sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. He had to stop doing that because his hair was starting to look like a mess. ''To be honest, I can't face him. I acted irrationally and I shouldn't have punched him. But when I heard that you were gone, and that he was with you and supposed to protect you, I just lost it. I couldn't think clearly and all I wanted to do was hurt him for loosing you.''

I smiled. ''That's sweet, I suppose. But he is your best friend, and you need him. He will forgive you if you apologize, I know that.''

Killian seemed uncertain. ''Are you sure?''

I nodded and started fiddling with my bracelet. I couldn't be mad at him for keeping a secret from me, while I was doing the same. Now was the best time to come clean. ''I have to tell you something.''

His eyes widened and he looked genuinely afraid. ''Oh god, what now?''

I chuckled. ''Don't worry, it's not bad. At least, in my opinion. It's about me and Tristan.''

My protective brother scowled. ''What did he do?''

''Well.. We're in love.''

Killian's jaw dropped, and I had to bite my lip to keep from bursting out laughing at his expression.

His mouth snapped shut. ''You're serious?''

I nodded. ''We've been together since the day the Selected came to the Palace. I love him, and he loves me.''

His fists clenched and unclenched, and I saw that he was having a hard time with this. His best friend and his little sister. ''Are you happy?''

I nodded again and my mouth curved into a smile. ''Yes. He makes me very happy.''

Killian sighed and ran a hand across his face. ''I would accept anything as long as you are happy. But that doesn't take away from the fact that you're still engaged to Oskar.''

I held up my hand. ''Tristan and I are both aware of my responsibilities. Don't worry about us. We know and we won't jeopardize Illéa's relationship with the German Federation.''

He stroked my hair, smiling. ''You're much tougher than everyone thinks. Was that all, or are you going to tell me that Tristan is secretly the Crown Prince of England?''

I laughed and shook my head. ''No more secrets. Promise.''

He smiled and pulled me in for another hug. ''I missed you.''

''I missed you too.''

 **Lady Jia**

I was sitting on a chaise longue in the Women's Room, my flats on the floor and my legs stretched out in front of me. I was frantically leafing through a German-English dictionary I had found at the library, a piece of paper beside me as I tried to translate a sentence.

April sat down next to me, her bright, fiery red hair in an elegant updo. ''What are you doing?''

''I'm trying to translate something.'' I bit on my pen and groaned in frustration, ''But I can't figure it out. You're smart, can you help me?''

April chuckled and took the dictionary from my hands. ''What are you trying to translate?''

''Du hast wonderschöne Augen,'' I carefully phrased, trying my best to imitate Oskar's German, which was difficult since German was a very hard language.

April leafed through the dictionary, and after a few minutes, she already had the translation written down on paper. She looked at it and raised her eyebrows. ''Who told you this?''

I snatched the paper from her hands and my eyes flew over the translation. _You have beautiful eyes._ I tried to hide my blush as I shrugged. ''I heard it on a tv show and I was curious as to what it meant. And now I know. Thanks.''

April nodded, but she still had a suspicious look on her face. I buried my head back in the dictionary, and breathed a sigh of relief when she decided to leave me be and sit by the others.

 _You have beautiful eyes._ What a smooth bastard.

* * *

 **Okay, I'm not entirely happy with this chapter but I still wanted to post something for you guys, so I hope you still like it regardless. Even though I think it kind of sucks haha. At least Yasmin and Killian have hashed everything out.**

 **I thought it would be fun to give you guys a fact about me, so you can get to know me better. So here it is: I have a big tattoo on the middle of my back, between my shoulder blades (it's the size of a hand) and it's a hamsa. It has a very, very special meaning to me and I got it when I was 18. And I'm certainly planning on getting some more ink.**

 **Also, for the guest reviewer who asked: my mothertongue is Dutch.**

 **That was it! Thanks so much for reading and keep reviewing! Your reviews motivate me and keep me writing.**

 **Love,**  
 **Wolf**


	23. I See Fire

**Prince Killian**

I glanced at the clock. It was almost time for my group date. I had asked April, Alondra, Jia, Rania, Maria and Alicia to meet me at the entrance of the Palace forest after dinner. I sighed as I ran my hand through my hair. I sure hoped I picked a good group of girls and they could all get along.

I looked up from my paperwork, eyeing the guard who was stationed at my door. I had to admit, I missed my best friend. While Tristan's bruises were fading, he still couldn't put too much pressure on his leg and had to use crutches, so he was taken off his guard duties until he could walk without them, which according to the doctor, would be within a week.

I knew I had to apologize eventually, and while I really wanted to, I couldn't face him just yet. I was ashamed of my behavior, but now I also couldn't look him in the face without imagining him and my little sister together. It being weird was an understatement. I believed Yasmin when she told me that he treated her well, and I knew what a good guy Tristan was. Better than I could ever be. But it was still something I had to adjust to, and I needed time.

When the letters on the financial reports started to mix together, it seemed like a good time to take a break and stretch my legs. I had to skip my morning swim, and my skin was itching to be immersed in the water.

I was on my way to my room to fetch the stuff I would need to swim when I heard someone calling out my name.

''Killian!''

I turned around, finding Viollca jogging towards me, her dress swishing around her knees and her low heels clicking on the floor. She had a folder tucked underneath her arms, and for some reason, she was beaming.

''Hey,'' I greeted, not bothering to use any formalities, just like she wasn't either.

She came to a halt, slightly panting. ''I should really work out more. Or no, never mind, maybe not. That's too much work. How do people even do that? Sport, or work out? I have never understood the appeal. Never mind, I'm trailing of again. I wanted to show you something.''

I couldn't help but grin at her ever so present enthusiasm, and the way she tended to ramble a lot when she spoke. It was so refreshing from the usual demure ladies I often found myself surrounded with. ''Show me.''

She sat down on a padded couch that was pushed against the wall of the hallway, and I followed suit. ''I have finished the first few chapters of my new comic, based off of our awesome idea. I thought you might like to read it.''

I smiled. ''I've been waiting to finally read some of your new work.'' I took the comic book-in-progress from her, opening it to find her freshly drawn pages carefully tucked in plastic folders. I immersed myself in the world she had created, my smile never leaving my lips; in fact, it only grew when I saw that her male character was modeled after me, appearance-wise.

Viollca kept her brown eyes on my face, studying it to read my reaction. ''And? What do you think?'' She asked, her voice sounding anxious.

I handed the pages back to her, but not before giving her hand a squeeze. ''I loved it.''

Viollca visibly relaxed, and she pumped her closed fist in the air. ''Victory!''

I chuckled. ''Your main female character reminds me an awful lot of Yasmin.''

She jumped to her feet, brushing strands of her black hair out of her face. ''That's because she's based off of her. Your sister is pretty amazing. She actually reminds me of my own sister.''

''Oh?'' I asked. ''Tell me more about her.''

''Well, she's a violinist, very talented, sweet as sugar and a hopeless romantic. Though she's shy, something your sister definitely isn't.'' She bounced on her toes, looking about ready to take off. ''Well, thank you for your feedback, but I have to get back to work now, as a million more ideas popped up in my head. Good day!'' She whirled around, bounding out of the hallway before I could say something.

 **Lady April**

Dinner was over, and I and five other girls were asked on a group date by the Prince. We had met him by the forest, and after five minutes of walking, were greeted by the cackling sound of fire and pleasant warmth.

We found ourselves on an open field, a dirt patch in the middle covered with logs that were set on fire, creating a small bonfire. The fire was surrounded by logs for us to sit on, and I could see thin sticks and a huge bag of marshmallows for us to roast. I smiled, already liking this date.

While still very pleasant, the Angeles nights could be quite chilly, and the Prince had told our maids to dress us in something warm. Most of us were wearing tights underneath or dresses, and had brought along a shawl or a vest, but not Alondra. The girl was dressed in a short ensemble, leaving her legs and arms bare. She was going to regret that, I was sure of it. The fire couldn't warm her up when she was dressed like that.

Killian walked over to the fire, picking up the bag. ''I hope you girls don't fear fire. And that you're willing to feast on these marshmallows with me.''

Jia smirked, walking over to Killian and taking a seat next to him. ''I put fires out for a living, this is nothing compared to what I've seen.''

Alondra quickly scurried over to the logs, taking the other seat beside Killian. She gave the rest of us a triumphant look, and I rolled my eyes. This girl was becoming too much.

We all gathered around the Prince, and started skewering marshmallows on our sticks, as we held them above the fire.

Killian cleared his throat, ''So, I know most of the relevant facts about you all from your forms already, like your occupation and interests, so how about you all tell me an interesting or surprising fact about yourself. When you're done, I will tell you one as well. Who would like to start?''

Alondra's hand shot up in the air, always the one to take the spotlight. Killian looked slightly surprised at her enthusiasm, but he flashed her a charming smile regardless. If only he knew how horrible she was.

''As I'm a famous singer, most of my private life has already been in the tabloids, so I know how stressful that must be,'' she briefly put her hand on his knee as she said this, ''but, one thing not a lot of people know about me, is that I have a huge fear of bugs.''

Of course she fears bugs. How stereotypical could you be.

Rania spoke up, and the shy girl was barely able to focus on Killian. ''I'm scared of dogs, and I can't go a day without coffee.''

The Prince grinned. ''Another coffee addict. My father can't mutter a word if he hasn't had his morning coffee.'' Rania tentatively smiled back at Killian, and the initial fear disappeared from her deep set, brown eyes.

Maria was a mystery to all of us, and she kept her honey brown eyes on the fire, the flames making her mocha skin glow. We all kept our eyes on her, curious about what was going to come out of her mouth. ''I was born into an upper middle class family from Caste Two, and now I'm a Six. I have trouble recalling what the reason was, but we were flagged and demoted, so it must have been pretty bad.'' This was the first time I had heard her speak in complete sentences, instead of squeaking out mere answers and hardly coherent replies. It was refreshing.

''That must have been hard on your family,'' Killian said, a sympathetic look in his face.

Maria merely shrugged, and I felt the awkwardness starting to rise.

''I guess I'll go next,'' I spoke up. ''I can play the piano, and I'm pretty good if I say so myself. Oh, and I severely dislike pink flowers or any type of roses, they're unoriginal. So don't even think about getting me that type of flower.'' I joked, holding up my finger at Killian.

He barked out a laugh, and nodded. ''Good to know.''

Alicia was next. She folded her hands in her laps, her hazel-green eyes looking at her audience. The girl hadn't been very social up until now, so were all very eager to get to know her more. ''I genuinely believe I was born in the wrong caste. My passion is science and I have always excelled at my studies, but as a Four, I've never been able to pursue this passion of mine. Which is frustrating, to say the least.''

This was surprising to me. I hadn't been able to find a fellow science-lover in the Selected, and all the while, she was here. I leaned over to Alicia, and put a reassuring hand atop of her folded ones. ''You'll get there. And if you ever need something, you can call me, as your fellow scientist.'' I was determined to get closer to this girl, and help her.

Alicia flashed me a grateful smile. ''Thank you. That's very kind.''

Killian watched us with warm eyes, ''I'm glad all of you get along. It's a relief.''

''Oh, yes,'' Alondra exclaimed, ''we are all great friends. We have so much fun together. We – ''

Jia cut her off, not having any of her lies. ''My turn. I tend to forget this, but I can't sing to save my life. I apologize in advance if some of you have had the misfortune of having to listen to my voice, but to myself, I sound amazing.''

Killian chuckled at this, and he reached behind him to grab a guitar case he had hidden. ''Then I won't ask you to sing with me.'' He clicked open the case, taking out an acoustic guitar. ''This is something I rarely show to others. While my sister is the artist, I am quite the musician, and among other instruments, I can play the guitar. But like you, Jia, I can't sing.''

''Well, thank God for me then, because I can.'' Alondra tied her long, silky brown hair back in a ponytail, and she gave the Prince a flirtatious smile. ''Shall we provide them with some entertainment?''

Killian glanced at the rest of us, and while we were very eager to hear him play, we didn't need to hear Alondra sing. Regardless, our curiosity as to how the Prince played guitar was stronger, and we nodded.

''We would love to hear you play,'' Rania's soft voice said.

Maria piped up, as if she suddenly remembered something. ''I can sing as well.''

''Oh, great! Then you and Alondra can sing together, while I provide you the music. Which song would you like to sing?''

Alondra briefly scowled, but she quickly composed herself, before Killian noticed. ''Maria and I will discuss it for a moment. After all, we'll have to impress you.'' She stood to her feet and sauntered over to Maria, taking a seat next to her and whispering something in her ear. She was probably trying to convince her to let her sing the most.

After a few moments, Alondra and Maria nodded, coming to an agreement. From what I had seen, Alondra stayed civil, but she didn't have any other choice as the Prince she was competing for was watching their every move. She was forced to act as if she was a sweetheart.

Jia and Maria switched places, and after Alondra whispered their song of choice in Killian's ear, he nodded and started the song, the string of his guitar providing the two girls with a melody.

'' _I don't know,  
what am I doing here?  
There's a shadow in my place_

 _Maybe now  
Everything will be so clear  
You shed a light into this empty space_

 _And all I am  
all I have  
doesn't even matter now  
I can't understand why I feel this way  
But I do  
I do_

 _I just wanna love you when the goings tough  
I just wanna hold you when your not enough  
I just wanna give you everything I got  
I do  
I do_

 _I don't know  
what am I saying here?  
There's a hole in my heart and its begging please  
Maybe now  
Everything will be so clear  
Cos your all I'll ever need_

 _All I know is  
I don't wanna lose control  
I just wanna touch your soul  
I do  
I do_

 _I just wanna hold you when the goings tough  
I just wanna love you when your not enough  
I just wanna give you all that I can give  
I do  
I do_

 _I just wanna kiss you in the morning sun  
I just wanna love you when the day is done  
I just wanna hold you just because I can_

 _I just wanna fold you up into my arms  
I just wanna listen to your beating heart  
I just wanna love you just because I do  
I do  
I do''_

Even though it was hard for me to admit this, Alondra had an amazing voice. When you looked at her, her eyes closed and her passion shining through, the mean Plastic disappeared. Maria's voice was equally beautiful, and both girls alternated between their parts, some parts sung together. Their voices meshed beautifully.

Killian had a concentrated look on his face, his green eyes fixed on the fire before him, as he played the strings and tried to listen to the pretty voices besides him at the same time.

I glanced at the other girls as they were listening to the song, and the reactions were diverse. Rania had a blush on her face as she watched the Prince, practically swooning, just like Alicia was, while Jia looked indifferent. I had to agree with Rania and Alicia. There was something incredibly attractive about this already charming Prince with a guitar in his hands. It showed us that he was more than the Crown Prince. Underneath it all, there was a normal guy, who enjoyed making music.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed the group date! I had a lot of fun writing it. The song Alondra and Maria sung is I Do by Susie Suh, and I actually based it on a cover sung by two Dutch girls, so if you want to hear what it would be with two girls and the guitar, go to my pinterest or search ''Susie Suh - I Do Cover'' on youtube, it's the first one.**

 **Speaking of pinterest, I've cleaned up my pinterest page and have created three boards for this story: one for the faceclaims, one for the royals in which I will be mostly posting Yasmin and Killian stuff, and one for dresses for the girls, date pictures and other misc. I have invited all of you who have pinterest to pin with me on that third board, anything you might see that you think fits this story or whatever. I saw other authors doing this and I quite liked the idea! There are some other Seeking Redemption boards left of some of the girls, those are the boards with all of you who have pinterest, so I think I'm gonna keep those. Can you guys still follow? Haha! Oh and the date dresses will be pinned to the main dresses board as well.**

 **I've actually been thinking about the sequel to this story a lot, even though I'm nowhere near close. But I already know that I will have a double selection after this. Killian's first borns will be twins, a boy and a girl, so it will be a boy-girl double Selection, unlike the usual boy-boy. What do you guys think about that? Would you like a sequel with 15 boys and 15 girls, and a Prince and a Princess?**

 **No worries, I'm gonna wrap up this A/N. My questions this time:**

 **-** **What did you think of Viollca basing the main character in her comic book, a heroine princess, off of Yasmin?**

 **-** **Did you like the group date and the interaction between the girls themselves and between them and Killian?**

\- **Do you like the sequel idea?**


	24. Learning How To Read

**I'm back! I want to thank everyone who has wished me well, you're all super sweet! My bone is literally broken in half, like nothing is attached and I have never broken anything before so this was all very new to me. The first week was literal hell as for some reason I couldn't stomach the pain meds, so yeah, that was fun. I'm still unable to use my left arm and typed all of this with one hand which is why the chapter is shorter than usual, but I missed SR and just really wanted to give you guys an update. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Lady Arizona**

According to the other girls, Alondra had been acting like a perfect angel on their group date. It was hard to believe as I watched her sitting across the Women's Room, flipping through a magazine while talking with Rowan.

It was unsettling that she was able to fool the Prince, although I couldn't blame him. He didn't know what happened inside this room. He didn't know that she had been terrorizing us, as no one had told him about.

I sighed as I turned my attention back to the book that was resting on my lap. I glanced at the empty space beneath the hem of my dress, where my legs would have been. During the makeovers, they had tried to give me prosthetics, which I refused. I had lived without legs for this long, it was part of me now. I still couldn't fathom how a girl like me was living in the Palace though.

I felt someone's eyes on me, and I turned my head to find Aenwyn's turquoise eyes staring back at me. She had a piece of paper gripped tightly in her hands, and her gaze fell on my book.

I smiled, eager to befriend the closed off girl. ''Can I help you?''

She shook her head and bit down on her bottom lip. ''No, it's just..'' Her grip on the paper tightened and she lowered her voice to a soft hush. ''I'm trying to read the title of your book.''

''Oh, I'm sorry,'' I said as I moved my fingers away from the letters so she could see them.

The redhead shook her head once more. ''I can see it. I just can't.. read it.''

My brows knitted together, and I glanced down at her paper. I saw that it was the alphabet, and it clicked. ''Oh.'' I leaned in towards her, whispering, ''You can't read?''

Her face flushed in embarrassment and she nodded.

I placed my hand on her shoulder. ''That's nothing to be ashamed of. I can help you learn.''

Her mouth curved into a smile, relief washing over her face that I didn't laugh at her. ''Thank you.''

I gestured to the paper, ''It seems like you've already had some help?''

She nodded. ''The Prince found out on our date and wrote down the alphabet for me. Our date consisted mostly of him reading to me. It was very kind.''

My hesitant heart softened at this new piece of information about the Prince. He sounded considerate, and not at all like the cocky Prince I thought he was.

''I don't know if I'll be much of a teacher, but I will definitely try.''

This earned me another earnest smile from Aenwyn. ''Thanks.''

 **Princess Beatrice-Alida**

''So,'' I started out slowly, taking another bite out of my cupcake while I sat on my best friend's bed, ''you're telling me you have been sleeping with a guard?''

This earned me a pillow to the head.

''Bea!'' Yasmin yelled. ''It's not like that.''

''Oh,'' my face broke out into a grin, ''you love him?''

Yasmin nodded, plopping on her bed next to me and letting herself fall on her back.

I lay down beside her, the grin never leaving my face. ''I'm really happy for you, Yas.''

She turned her head to look at me. ''What's there to be happy about? We have no future. I have to marry Oskar and become the Queen of the German Federation. You of all people know the difficulty of my situation.''

That was true. Not only was I engaged to a man 9 years my senior, we had been ever since I was three years old. I'd been trying to get out of the marriage for years, but to no avail.

''At least you have love now, right? That's more than I can say.''

''That's true,'' Yasmin mumbled, her blue eyes sad. Ever since Yasmin was back, there had been a change in her attitude. Of course, being kidnapped by rebels was traumatic, but I felt like there was more. There was something she wasn't telling me. She had stopped wearing her tiaras for one, which was a huge warning sign. Those shiny jewels were her babies.

But I wasn't about to push her. She would tell me in her own time.

I glanced at the ceiling, a giggle leaving my mouth.

''What?''

''Oh, I was just trying to imagine you as a Queen. It's quite a hilarious thought.''

''Hey!'' Yasmin pouted. ''That's mean.'' Then the corners of her mouth quirked up, and she started laughing. ''Okay, I have to admit, I wouldn't make a terribly good Queen.''

I nodded, my expression turning serious. ''Does Killian know that you love his best friend?''

''He does. And he took it surprisingly well.''

''Huh. So he's finally growing up. Couldn't he have done that while we were dating?'' I scoffed.

''Can we please forget that you and my brother were ever a thing in the first place?'' Yasmin asked as she scrunched up her face in slight disgust.

''Sure, we have more important matters to discuss anyway.'' I sat up, calling for the maid and asking her to bring us more refreshments. I turned to Yasmin when the maid left. ''I want details. Don't leave out anything.''

Yasmin beamed at the thought of her guard, and I was glad to see that little spark return for a moment. She was like a sister to me, and seeing her sad pained me. I would do anything for her.

 **Lady Rania**

I grasped the letter from home in my shaking hands. My brother wasn't doing well. The injury he had sustained during the rebel attack required care, care my mother couldn't provide him with as she was sick herself. Rehan's state was taking its toll on my mother's health, and while my father wrote me that he could hire someone to take care of them, I didn't want that. It was time for me to go home.

The thought had been brewing in my head ever since Rehan got shot. My family needed me, and I couldn't just stay in the Palace, bathing in luxury and participating in a competition when they did.

I lifted my hand and knocked.

''Come in.''

I pushed open the heavy, wooden doors, and was greeted by Killian's smiling face, surrounded by stacks of paper.

''Lady Rania.''

I curtsied, and closed the doors behind me. ''Your Highness. I have something I need to ask you.''

He cocked his head, and I took a steadying breath. God, this was difficult. Killian was a great guy, and I was giving up on my chance with the Crown Prince. But my family was far more important.

''I want to go home.''

His forehead furrowed in confusion. ''Why? Was it something I did?''

I shook my head. ''No, not at all. If anything, this experience has helped me gain confidence and made me feel more comfortable in my shell. I have made some great friends and memories. But my family needs me right now.''

He nodded in understanding. ''Of course, your brother is hurt. As long as you are satisfied with your decision, I will grant you permission to leave the Selection.''

I smiled. ''Thank you. I do have one last request, though..''

…

I fiddled with my dress, barely comprehending that I was actually doing this. Shy, insecure Rania was going on the Report by herself. I was going to be on national television, a million eyes on me.

I had asked my maid to do their absolute best on my dress, as it would be the last one they were going to make for me, and I couldn't be happier with the result.

The dress was sand colored with sheer three-quarter sleeves and a woven-style bodice. The bodice flowed into a floor-skimming skirt sparkling with sequined lace. It was beautiful.

I looked over to Killian, who gave me an encouraging nod. This was it.

''And now, people of Illéa, one of the Selected will take the stage. Please welcome Lady Rania Raheem, who has an important topic she wants to shed light on.'' Simon Fadaye, the host of the Report, announced as I took the stage.

My nerves were killing me, my stomach felt like it was doing numerous backflips, but for some reason, my voice was steady as I looked into the camera.

''There are many diseases that require transplants. Unfortunately, not enough organs are available to help the people struck by these diseases. The amount of organ donors is too low. Though many lives are saved through organ donation, many people die while waiting on a list. On average, about 106 people are added to an organ waiting list every day, and 18 people die each day waiting for an organ. Almost anyone of nearly any age and average health can donate an organ. I am standing here before you, asking you to consider becoming a donor, if you are able to. You could save lives. Thank you.''

I exited the stage, my nerves overwhelming my sense as it finally kicked in what I had done. I wish I could see the faces of all those who had bullied me.

''You did great.'' I looked up to find Killian looking at me, and I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding.

''Thank you.''

He reached out and took my clammy hand in his. ''Are you absolutely sure you want to leave?''

I nodded resolutely. ''I am.''

''I admire your devotion to your family.'' His smile didn't quite reach his eyes, and he gave my hand a squeeze. ''You can say goodbye to the other Selected, I'm sure they'll miss you. A car will be waiting for you in the morning.''

* * *

 **Another elimination, or more so: a girl going home. I just want to say that I love every single girl in this Selection, and I hate eliminations as I don't want to upset anyone, but I just have to. It's nothing personal and I hope that when your girl is eliminated, you will continue reading this story. I just have to look at who fits with Killian, but also who fits the story, who I can write the best and the details I received etc. Trust me, it's hard for me too! And just because your girl is eliminated, doesn't mean we won't see her again.**

 **In this case, I want to thank XOStarbrightXO for the wonderful character of Rania. The facts and information in Rania's speech I got from the internet.**

 **Again, sorry for the short chapter! I don't know when I'll update again so onto the questions..**

 **\- What did you think of Rania leaving?**  
 **\- Who is/are your favorite character(s)? (you don't have to limit yourself to the Selected)**  
 **\- Who/what would you like to see more of?**

 **That was it.**

 **Love,**  
 **A broken Wolf**


	25. Self-defense and a Kiss

**Lady Alondra**

The longer I stayed in the Palace, the more annoying these girls became. Not only had the Prince chosen me for a _group_ date, not even an individual date, but the center of his attention was currently focused on some lower caste girls. How could he not see the greatness right in front of him that was me?

And then there was Yasmin, the overly bubbly Princess. She drove me crazy, with her constant sunshine attitude, but she and Killian were obviously very close, and even though I wished she would just go away, I had to keep her close. Lucky for me, Yasmin was a fan of my music, which gave us an instant connection. And thankfully, after her kidnapping, she had been visiting the Women's Room a lot less frequently.

I looked up from my magazine to survey the other Selected who were with me in the Women's Room. Aurelia and Rowan were beside me, like they always were, theorizing about the other girls and when they would get an invite to a date. I guess it could have been worse, I could have been in their shoes.

I did my best to hold in my scoff as I eyed the ensembles the other girls were wearing. None of them came close to me, and the bold choices I made in my fashion. It was meant to catch the attention of the so called ''party prince'', and while I had seen his eyes linger on me during breakfast, it hadn't earned me anything. I looked down at my dress as I wondered if I should take it a step further. The dress I was wearing was skin tight, black, with a plunging V-neckline and cap sleeves. It had a fitting bodice that hugged my curves and was sprinkled with beads all over. What more could he want?

No, it wasn't the way I dressed. I needed to capture his attention in some other way, and I was determined to find out how.

 **Lady Jia**

I hadn't seen Oskar anymore after our nighttime ride in the Palace forest. And then, after finding out what his German words to me actually meant, I couldn't keep my mind off him. My dreams were filled with flashes of his pale, bleached hair and icy blue eyes, but it was so wrong. Not only was he a Crown Prince, and was I currently in the Selection competing for the heart of another Crown Prince, he was also already engaged. He could never be mine.

And yet I found myself wandering to the stables, fiddling with the hem of my mint green, high collar chiffon dress.

I smiled to myself as I saw the tall, lanky Prince standing by his horse, my hope of finding him satisfied. ''I knew I would find you here.'' I fiddled with the side braid that was flung over my shoulder as his head turned to look at me.

''Were you looking for me, then?''

I averted my eyes, feeling caught. ''Maybe.''

His grin grew wider on his face, and my eyes darted back to him. ''I found out what your German words to me meant.'' _You have beautiful eyes._

His shoulders tensed, and he cleared his throat. ''Oh. I didn't expect you to actually translate them. Did I offend you?''

I shook my head as I inched forward. ''How could I be offended by someone complimenting my eyes? And not just anyone, but the Crown Prince of the German Federation himself.''

The corners of his mouth quirked up, but then his mouth set in a hard line, as if he was reminded of something. He grabbed the reigns of his horse and guided him out of his stall. ''That's right. I'm the Crown Prince, engaged to Princess Yasmin, and you're just a Selected. It was merely a friendly compliment, and I don't want you to think more of it than it was meant to be.''

I felt my happiness deflate, and the warm feeling I just had at seeing him changed into a heart wrenching one. Nonetheless, I forced a smile on my face. ''Of course, I didn't think anything of it. Don't worry.''

He nodded curtly, his whole pleasant demeanor from before I mentioned his position as Royalty changing into a cold, distant one. Oskar walked right past me, pulling his horse along and leaving me by myself in the stables.

 **Officer Bates**

''Are you sure about this?''

Yasmin and I were in the Palace forest, standing on the grass of an open field, both clad in sportswear. She was wearing fitted black sports legging, and a loose pink t-shirt with a sports bra peeking out from underneath. It was difficult to focus with the way she looked.

Yasmin nodded, collecting her brown tresses in a ponytail. ''I'm not going through that again. I want to be able to defend myself.''

I smiled, feeling even more proud than ever to call her my girlfriend. ''Do you want to learn how to fire a gun?''

She shook her head. ''No guns. I don't want to kill anyone. Just hurt them enough to give myself time to flee.''

I pulled her into my arms. ''How did I get so lucky to love a girl with a golden heart like yours?''

Yasmin giggled before swatting me on the arms. ''Don't distract me. We're here to train. You're here as a guard, not my boyfriend, so don't go easy on me, okay?''

''Yes, ma'am.''

 **Princess Yasmin**

I knocked on the heavy doors to my father's office, having just finished my training session with Tristan. While it was tiring, it was also extremely satisfying, and I already felt a lot stronger, even though it was only our first session together.

''Come in.''

I entered the vast office, closing the door behind me and smiling widely as I saw my dear father sitting behind his desk. No matter whom my biological father was, no matter whose DNA I carried, King Edward was and would always be my one and only father, and there was nothing, or no one, that could change that.

''My angel,'' he stood up and stretched his arm, motioning for me to come closer. The nickname he used for me gave me a sense of familiarity, as it had never changed. I was his angel when I was a child and I still was.

I strolled over to him, melting into his warm, fatherly embrace. I closed my eyes and inhaled his scent, memorizing it and locking it in my brain so I would never forget.

He pulled back, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. ''Why are you dressed like that?''

''Believe it or not, I was working out.''

He burst out laughing, his surprise at me being active etched on his face. ''The world is still full of surprises.''

I gently pushed him back in his chair, grabbing another chair and dragging it next to his. ''How are you doing, Dad?''

His green eyes softened those eyes that were so similar to Killian's. He reached out and grabbed my hand. ''I'm fine, angel. Don't worry about me, please. The medicine is working for now, and I have felt better since the moment we got you back. But don't scare your poor father like that again, I might have heart attack next time it happens.''

''Dad! Don't joke about something like that.''

He chuckled as he gently squeezed my hand, ''sorry, sorry. But I mean it. I'm holding up.''

I smiled, ''Good.'' I glanced around the office, my gaze stopping at his large bookshelves. I stood up and walked over, my fingers caressing the spines of the old books. My father was a lover of literature, especially the old ones, from before Illéa became Illéa. Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe, Virginia Woolf and many, many more. As a little girl, I always wondered about the fascinating worlds in these books that always managed to capture my father's attention, and I began reading them at a young age. My romantic heart loved Romeo & Juliet the most, which was cliché, but I couldn't help it, even though it didn't have a happy end for the two lovers. The story captivated me.

I looked back at my father, who continued working on his reports, and I wondered for how long I would be able to enjoy the simple sight of him doing the thing he was best at, being Illéa's King.

 **Lady Evelaine**

I was on my way back to my room, getting ready to prepare for myself for dinner, when I heard him call my name.

''Elaine!''

I whirled around, my heart beating faster at Killian calling me by my nickname. The hem of my navy blue, halter dress swirled around my knees, and my mouth curved into a smile as I watched him jogging towards me with a twinkle in his eyes.

Looking handsome as ever, he was wearing grey jeans, a plaid shirt and a dark blue green pullover, bringing out the green of his eyes.

He came to a stop in front of me, and without hesitating, took my hands in his. ''I know this is quite late, but I wanted to apologize for the way our date ended, with Yasmin coming back. That was not the way I intended our date to end.''

I shrugged, ''don't apologize, you have my complete understanding. Although, I do wonder, how did you intend it to end?''

He grinned, letting go of my hands and cupping my cheeks as he pulled me closer. ''Like this.'' His lips met mine, and the warmth of his mouth sent a current running through my body. I lost myself in the kiss, his lips, his smell, but before I could truly comprehend what was happening, it was over. He pulled back, a smirk on his face, as he toyed with a lock of hair, before completely letting me go and taking a step back. ''I will see you at dinner.''

He turned on his heels, and just like that, he was gone. And for the first time since forever, I was left speechless.

* * *

 **I had another xray this Monday, and apparantly my collar bone has still not grown together, but it's slowly starting to. I can type with two hands again but lifting heavy things still hurts, and it's actually a pretty constant, nagging pain. But oh well, that was my health update for those who cared.**

 **As I haven't updated a lot since my accident, I've been kind of out of it, which I think you guys will have noticed by now, as the previous chapter was pretty short and this one is as well. I'm just slowly getting back into the groove of writing and this story, so please bear with me! I did my best to make this chapter interesting and give you some of your favorite characters. I was really happy to see that my own characters, like Yasmin, Killian, Tristan and Oskar are amongst your favorites! That means I'm doing something right, I think.**

 **No questions for this chapter, just let me know what you thought! Hopefully, and probably, the next chapter will be the usual length and off better quality. My apologies! Oh and as always, the outfits can be found on the pinterest board.**

 **Love,**  
 **Wolf(ie)**


	26. And Now It Ends

**Guess who's back? It's me! Okay, PLEASE read this before you get too excited and start reading the chapter, because this is important. I am so so so sorry, but I'm discontinuing Seeking Redemption. I hope you guys won't be too disappointed, but let me explain. When I started this story, I didn't think it through. I didn't make a plan for the whole story and I threw too much stuff in there, so I really didn't know how to continue this. I didn't want to force myself to write a story I didn't know what to do with, and have the quality suck. And because of my broken collar bone, I was out of the running for a few months, and I just didn't know how to pick it up again. So I have decided to stop. BUT I didn't want to just stop and not give you guys an ending, because I would hate that as well. I had some storylines I wanted to do, and some loose ends which I'm tying up in this chapter. And of course, you guys will find out who Killian chooses. The romance isn't detailed and the build up isn't there because of me stopping, but I still wanted you guys to have an ending to this story, so I hope you don't mind that this chapter takes place a few months after. I really hope you guys enjoy this last chapter, and please read the Author's Note at the end as well, because there's an announcement about the sequel and my thanks to all of you. Happy reading.**

* * *

 **Killian Schreave**

 **The Illéan Daily**

 _It has been five months since Prince Killian's Selection first started, and a lot has happened since then. This will be our last report on the Selection, as it has ended a few weeks ago._

 _Tragedy struck the Royal Family when it was announced to the public that our beloved king, King Edward, was suffering from an illness, and wouldn't be with us for much longer. The stress clearly took a toll on our Prince, and he decided to move his Selection along faster. A few eliminations followed after the announcement, and then another surprise was brought in by the Royal Family. The engagement between Princess Yasmin and the Crown Prince of the German Federation, Prince Oskar, had come to an end. The announcement said that their hearts were both in different places, and their parents had decided to grant them happiness and pursue what they want. In a surprise move, this meant that our Princess was marrying one of the Palace guards, Officer Tristan Bastes. This took everyone by surprise, but the approval rating for the Royal Family shot up and was through the roof. The general public adored the Royals for allowing their Princess to marry a commoner. The wedding took place a few weeks after, and it was a fairytale every girl would dream of. Our King got to walk his beloved daughter down the aisle, but from the looks of it, his health was deteriorating._

 _Soon after Lady Jia was eliminated, before the Princess' wedding even took place, she got engaged to Prince Oskar. Apparently, she had caught the Prince's eye during his stay at the Palace, and with permission from Prince Killian, Prince Oskar pursued her after she left the Selection, so no rules were broken._

 _Fast forward and we got to our Elite, consisting of the following Ladies: Arizona, Aenwyn, Evelaine, Alondra and Viollca. A few days after the Elite was announced, unfortunately, our King passed away. His funeral was a sad affair, as Illéa mourned a great King. Our newly married Princess gave a beautiful and heartbreaking eulogy, reciting a passage from Romeo & Juliet, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, her father's favorite playwright:  
"When he shall die,  
Take him and cut him out in little stars,  
And he will make the face of heaven so fine  
That all the world will be in love with night  
And pay no worship to the garish sun."  
She barely got through the eulogy without shedding tears, and our heart collectively broke for the Royal Family. Immediately after the funeral, the Selected were sent home for a month, to let the Family mourn in peace. They withdrew themselves to the Palace, barely going out in public. Our Prince Killian was now the King. _

_After the month was over, the Selected returned to the Palace, and the King decided to end the Selection and choose his One. According to the King himself, in his time of grief, there was only one person he had wanted by his side, who he needed, and his heart had made it clear who the one was for him. The Lady he had chosen was –_

''Ian?''

My head snapped up as I heard my sister's voice calling my name, my attention on the newspaper I had been reading. Yasmin stood in the doorway, her hand resting on her stomach. Nobody, except for us and the Royal Family of the German Federation, knew the real reason why she and Tristan got married so quickly, which was that Yasmin was pregnant.

When we found out the news, at first, we were distraught. It was worse enough that my 17-year-old sister was pregnant, but she was also engaged to the Crown Prince of one of our closest allies. My father was the only one who took the news well, which made it easier for us to embrace it. He had been accepting and calm, and wanted nothing more than to make everything right for his angel. We sat down with the German Royals, and had a long talk. Surprisingly, my father wasn't the only one who took it well, as Prince Oskar looked relieved. We found out that he had fallen for one of my Selected, Lady Jia, and he promised to keep this a secret and break the engagement in a civil way, if he could be with Jia. I agreed to eliminate her, as I had no feelings for her, so she was free to be with Oskar. The German King and Queen were understanding as well, since Illéa was much to important as an ally too lose, and after some negotiations, including some benefits for the Germen Federation, it was done. Their engagement was broken.

Soon after, Yasmin and Tristan got married. The public couldn't know that Yasmin had gotten pregnant out of wedlock, so they had to tie the knot. A shotgun wedding was not what my romantic little sister had dreamed of, and she became increasingly insecure. She was afraid that Tristan was only marrying her because she was carrying his child, which was a ridiculous notion. I could see the love Tristan had for her, it practically radiated off him, and he worshipped the ground she walked on. Their wedding was beautiful, and my father walked Yasmin down the aisle with tears in his eyes.

''Ian?''

I tore my gaze away from her stomach, she wasn't even showing yet, and I looked her in the eyes. ''Sorry, I got distracted for a moment.''

Yasmin giggled and stepped inside the room. ''Is it the nerves?''

''Why would I be nervous?''

''Well, It's your wedding day.''

I shook my head. ''Weirdly enough, I am not nervous. I am ready to get married and have my coronation. I just wish Dad was here to see it.''

Sadness clouded her features, and she stepped behind my chair, putting her hands on my shoulders, and looked up at father's portrait that hung on the wall. ''He would have been so proud of you; you know that, don't you? You dealt with the rebels, you never once had a relapse, the public is happy and content with you, and you have found your One.''

''To be fair, my defeat of the rebels was partly because of you.''

Yasmin chuckled and rubbed my shoulders. ''Oh, what would you do without me?''

It was true. Because of her 'connection' to the rebel group The Idealists, through her biological father and the group leader, she had been able to help me strike a deal with the group. They would help us defeat the violent and dangerous group The Forsaken, who wanted to overthrow the monarchy, in exchange for change. Change in the country, change in the caste system, which was all they wanted. They wanted to be heard, and through Yasmin, I heard them. We defeated The Forsaken and Illéa was saved from the spilling of blood. In the fight with the rebel group, Yasmin's father Sam had perished. I made sure he was hailed a hero, and the public was happy. For now. We still had to deal with the caste system, but that was something for tomorrow. Today, the only thing on my mind was _her._

I rose from my seat, turning around to face Yasmin and taking her hands in mine. ''Go tell her I'm ready. I'll be waiting at the end of the aisle. Make sure she's ready.'''

Yasmin nodded and skipped out of her room, her happiness at gaining a sister evident. If there was one thing in my little sister that I admired, it was her strength. How that girl still had her sunny disposition and optimism after losing her Dad and biological father was a mystery to me. If not for her, I would not have been able to pull through and deal with the new pressure as King. She was the strong one of the family.

I squared my shoulders, smoothing my tie in the mirror, checking my hair one last time as I took a deep breath and turned to the doors. I was ready to start a new chapter of my life. But not alone, not by myself. I was ready to do it with the woman I loved by my side. I was ready to make Arizona Dawson my wife and Queen.

* * *

 **So, that was it! Seeking Redemption is over, Killian chose his One, and lots of other things 'happened' as well. I hope you guys are happy with this chapter and Killian's choice and I hope you forgive me for quitting this story. But don't be sad! Because I have decided to go through with the sequel, the plan which I have discussed with you guys a few chapters back, of having a Selection for Killian's children who will be a twin boy and girl, and who will have a double Selection together. Some characters from Seeking Redemption will make an appearance in that sequel, and I would love love love it if you guys would read it and submit to that one as well! I am hoping that the first chapter and the form is up by tomorrow, so please look out for that! It will be called Seeking the One. And don't worry, I am not planning on quitting that story. This time, I will think everything through, make a good plan for it, and I probably won't make it too long so I will have no excuse not to finish it. I will probably also have more rules for that one and a longer form so I will get a lot of details for the characters.**

 **Okay, almost getting to the end of this Author's Note, don't worry. I just really want to thank all of you for reading SR. You guys have been great. I have the best readers and reviewers, a lot of people who are consistent ones, and I love you all. You were the ones who always motivated me to write! I especially want to thank my readers who have always made sure to review my chapters and who are just the sweetest: morethanjustastory, Demigod18, Irew2376, Shouta Izukai, GenuineHarajukuDoll, XOStarbrightXO and Waffle0. You're amazing.**

 **As for Seeking Redemption, this is goodbye, but please stay on the lookout for Seeking the One! Oh and don't ever hesitate to message me if you want that.**

 **Update: Seeking the One is up!**

 **Lots of love,**  
 **Wolfie**


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